Last Ruler Of The Empty Throne-Chapter 156: Red flag

Jon’s eyes fluttered open, his vision hazy as the world came into focus. His hand still rested gently on Jenny’s head, her shallow breaths a faint reassurance amidst the chaos that lingered in his mind.

The tent’s canvas walls swayed slightly, kissed by a salty breeze that carried the distant roar of the ocean. His body ached, each muscle protesting as he shifted to sit on a rickety wooden chair beside Jenny’s cot.

"Haa..." A heavy exhale escaped him, exhaustion weighing down his bones. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Oh, Jon, you’re awake."

The voice was soft but firm, pulling him from his thoughts.

He turned his head slowly, his gaze landing on Syria, a level 6 official in their faction. Her dark hair was tied back, and her eyes, sharp yet kind, studied him with concern. She stood near the tent’s entrance, her uniform slightly wrinkled from days of relentless work. Jon vaguely recalled her catching him as he collapsed after the fight, her arms steadying him before darkness claimed him. She was also the one in charge of currencies.

"How long has it been?" Jon’s voice was hoarse, each word a struggle against the fatigue that clung to him like a second skin. He’d suppressed his sleep too many times—ten, maybe more—pushing his body beyond its limits. He could guess the answer, but he needed to hear it from someone else, to anchor himself in reality.

"Two days," Syria replied, her brow furrowing. "Cynthia’s taken charge in your absence. Alexa and Laura are patrolling the camp’s perimeters, ensuring no stragglers from the moon people sneak through. We’ve set up tents to house everyone temporarily until we figure out a long-term plan. Nancy’s holding off on the loss report, focusing on rationing food. The sea creatures cost us a great number of supplies in the fight, but thankfully, the ocean’s been generous with fish."

Jon nodded, absorbing the update. The camp was holding together, barely. He glanced at Jenny, her face pale but peaceful, and a pang of guilt tightened his chest. He should’ve protected her better.

"Don’t worry, I’ll call the others," Syria said, sensing his restlessness. She gave him a reassuring nod before ducking out of the tent.

...

Minutes later, Cynthia, Alexa, and Laura entered, their expressions a mix of relief and apprehension.

They could see the exhaustion etched into his face, the dark circles under his eyes, the slight tremor in his hands. They waited, sensing he had something critical to say before collapse claimed him again.

"Jenny will wake up—" Jon began, his voice steady despite the strain.

The tent flap burst open, cutting him off. Victor stumbled in, his face pale, sweat beading on his forehead. "Those bastards are here again," he blurted, his voice thick with nerves.

Cynthia’s eyes narrowed. "What happened?" They’d only stepped away from their posts for a moment. What could’ve gone wrong so quickly?

Victor swallowed hard. "They’re raising a white flag. The men want to attack, but Gar’al is holding them back." His tone suggested they feared Gar’al more than the enemy, a testament to the man’s formidable presence.

Shock rippled through the group. A white flag? Were the sea creatures here to negotiate for their prince, whom they had captured? The thought hung heavy in the air.

Jon stood, his fatigue vanishing as a surge of bloodlust coursed through him. "Alright, let’s go dye their flag red." His voice was low, dangerous, each word laced with intent.

The others exchanged glances but followed without hesitation, leaving Syria to watch over Jenny.

Outside, the camp was a scarred battlefield.

The ground was churned, littered with debris from the previous fight—shattered weapons, torn fabric, and the occasional glint of bloodstained metal.

The surviving evolvers, the strongest and most fearless of their ranks, fell in behind Jon and the leaders. Whispers rippled through them.

The top leader had single-handedly decimated an army. What was there to fear? Yet, as they trudged through the destroyed half of the camp, doubt gnawed at them. That attack had cost everything. Shouldn’t they be retreating?

The sea creatures awaited them in vast numbers, their silhouettes stark against the horizon.

No massive whale loomed this time, but the array was no less intimidating: shark men with jagged teeth, triton figures wielding coral spears, jellyfish pulsing with bioluminescent glow, crabs with claws like battering rams, sea serpents coiling restlessly, and countless walking fish, their scales glinting under the sun.

At their forefront stood a pale, ethereal figure draped in a flowing blue robe, a trident clutched in her hand, water swirling around it like a living entity. Behind her, a wall of water loomed, a tsunami frozen in place, ready to crash at her command.

And a large white flag fluttered beside her, a stark contrast to the tension in the air.

Jon stepped forward, nodding at Gar’al, who stood like a sentinel, his presence alone keeping the evolvers in check. Jon leaned on his rod, its surface etched with faint runes that pulsed faintly.

His eyes locked onto the sea princess, a storm of emotions raging within him.

’I want to kill them all,’ he thought, ’but I need to hear them out.’ Their numbers were overwhelming. I

After two battles, they could still muster this force. It spoke of a deeper power, one that could outlast humanity if Jon wasn’t careful. If they targeted the camp while he was absent, who would remain?

It was painful, but he had to hear them out.

"I don’t ask for much," the sea princess said, her voice clear yet trembling with emotion. "Please, just return my brother."

Jon’s eyes widened.

The absurdity of her demand ignited a spark of rage. After all the death and destruction, she dared to ask for her brother’s release?

"Haa... should I kill you instead?" His murderous intent flared, a palpable force that made the sea princess flinch, her trident wavering.

"D-Do you have the capacity to do that?" she retorted, regaining her composure, though her voice betrayed a hint of fear.

Cynthia stepped forward, her gaze pleading with Jon to stay calm. "So, your brother can come here, kill as he pleases, and you think you can just demand his return? That flag is the only reason you’re still breathing." Her words dripped with anger, but she clung to reason, hoping to avoid another massacre.

"He’s still my brother," the princess said, her voice softer, almost apologetic, but lacking conviction.

Cynthia fell silent, at a loss for words.

Boom.

Jon’s patience snapped. He activated the principles of inscription, his rod glowing as a divine web spear materialized, its surface shimmering with intricate patterns. The air grew heavy, charged with energy.

"Wait, are you going to drop that here?" Alexa’s voice was shrill, her instincts screaming to flee.

Jon’s silence was answer enough.

"Shit, run!" Alexa activated her skill, a burst of speed carrying her away. The others followed, their survival instincts overriding hesitation.

The sea princess’s eyes widened as a massive rainbow moon materialized in the sky, its light casting an otherworldly glow. The divine web spear levitated, drawn to the moon, where it bathed in radiant energy, growing more menacing by the second.

"W-Wait, let’s talk!" the princess pleaded, her voice desperate.

"No, you have to pay the price first." Jon’s hand dropped, and the spear shot forward.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.

The explosion was cataclysmic, a torrent of rainbow energy tearing through the sea creatures’ ranks. Dozens of rainbow mirrors materialized on Jon’s side, absorbing the shockwaves and explosions, then redirecting them back at the enemy with devastating force.

The ground shook, the air screamed, and for ten agonizing minutes, the onslaught continued.

The evolvers, initially terrified, realized the attack spared their side.

Curiosity drew their gazes to the aftermath, and their jaws dropped.

The sea creatures’ army was decimated, the ground scorched, and the tsunami wall collapsed into harmless mist.

The sea princess stood frozen, her face a mask of horror. She had wondered how her brother’s forces fell so easily. Now she knew.

He was the one.

Her scream echoed in her mind, a warning of the danger she faced. Jon’s eyes met hers, unyielding, as the dust settled over the battlefield.