Last Ruler Of The Empty Throne-Chapter 159: Questions

The holographic display flickered and dissolved into static, the vivid images of destruction fading into the air of the Heavenly Sky Palace’s grand chamber.

A heavy silence settled over the gathered commanders and warriors, their minds grappling with the unprecedented sight they had just witnessed, a Whyte Clan member wielding the power of another branch.

The weight of the revelation hung like a storm cloud, each figure in the room lost in their own calculations and fears.

Brawns, the towering warrior with a physique that seemed carved from stone, broke the silence first. His voice rumbled like distant thunder, his thoughtful expression a rare departure from his usual boisterousness. "Leader, are you suggesting we attack them now? The Moon Branch is vulnerable, but the implications..." He trailed off, his dark eyes narrowing as he considered the consequences.

The Pink Witch, perched atop Last Knight’s armored shoulder, tilted her head, her pink gown fluttering as if caught in an unseen breeze. "But wouldn’t the Sun Branch move to protect them?" she asked, her childlike voice laced with a sharpness that belied her appearance. "They’re not just going to stand by if we march on their kin."

First Sword, his robes flowing like liquid moonlight, leaned forward, his calm demeanor unshaken. "And what of the Star Branch? No one’s seen them in centuries. If they’ve reemerged, this could complicate matters further." His words carried the weight of a strategist who had seen countless battles unfold across the cosmos.

The woman in crimson, her face still obscured by the folds of her hooded cloak, muttered to herself, her voice soft but clear enough for all to hear.

"That would be what other factions are thinking of. But why would they attack their own, even if one of them has learnt the other? Aren’t they meant to keep it to themselves and raise them in secret or something?" Her questions spiraled, each one echoing the confusion and suspicion rippling through the room.

Nerom, the emperor of the Heavenly Sky Palace, rose from his seat, his blue robes shimmering like a cascade of starlit water. His piercing eyes scanned the assembly, silencing their murmurs with a single glance. "Enough speculation," he said, his voice resonant yet calm, like the eye of a storm. "We will go to the Moon Branch ourselves and uncover the truth."

He extended a hand, and the air itself seemed to bow to his will. "Musbarbe, come."

Whooooooooooosh...

The sound was like a cosmic wind, and the chamber trembled as the legendary mist that shrouded the Sky World stirred for the first time in eons.

This fog, a phenomenon steeped in myth, was no mere atmospheric quirk. Some believed it was a sentient entity, a guardian woven into the fabric of the Sky World. Others thought it a natural effect of the cluster’s ten realms, their combined energies creating a barrier no outsider could breach.

As the mist surged into the palace, coiling around the gathered warriors like tendrils of liquid silver, a collective realization dawned on nearly half the room: this was Nerom’s doing. The mist was an extension of his power, a manifestation of his dominion over the Sky World. For those who had spent years pondering its origins, the truth was both awe-inspiring and humbling.

The mist enveloped them, and a dizzying spin blurred their senses. Colors and sounds merged into a kaleidoscope of disorientation, only to snap back into clarity as their surroundings shifted. They stood now before a vast blue world, its surface scarred and broken, just as the hologram had shown. The teleportation was instantaneous, a testament to Nerom’s unparalleled mastery.

"Let’s go," Nerom said, his voice cutting through the stunned silence. He kicked off the ground, his form transforming into a beam of radiant light that pierced the planet’s atmosphere. His army followed without hesitation, their figures streaking through the sky like comets.

And they arrived,

Amelia, standing beside Dame, muttered under her breath, "The rumors must have blown this out of proportion." Her eyes scanned the devastated landscape below—crumbled buildings, torn earth, and a faint shimmer of residual energy.

The towering treasure at the world’s center, a living structure pulsing with faint blue light, stood intact, its self-healing properties having erased the scars shown in the video.

But her attention was drawn elsewhere.

Above the blue world, factions that had remained hidden for centuries floated in the sky, their banners and auras proclaiming their presence.

Celestial Dragons, their scales glinting with starlight and dragon wings beating the air. The Demon Faction, their black wings radiating a malevolent energy that made the air hum.

The Angel Army, their white wings aglow with divine radiance. And then there were the warriors in golden armor, their physiques sculpted to perfection, their energy roaring with unchallenged confidence saying, we can face the world. The Sun Branch of the Whyte Clan.

"Now that’s the Whyte clan. They’re not just guarding the Moon Branch," Dame said, a smile tugging at his lips as he observed the Sun Branch’s fierce aura. "They’re daring anyone to try."

In truth, it was the Sun branch that was considered the Whyte clan, because they were the real lion behind their family. The Moon branch were a force, however their strength alone couldn’t make them enter the top reaching the likes of the Heavenly sky faction. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Amelia frowned, her mind racing. "I thought the Big Five were called that because they were the only factions with eighth-realm evolvers. But look at this..." She gestured to the sky, where at least ten factions hovered, their leaders radiating the unmistakable power of the eighth realm.

Dame nodded, his expression thoughtful. "We predicted some of these leaders would ascend to the eighth realm eventually, but this many? It’s shocking everyone." He was right, the silence among the factions wasn’t just caution; it was disbelief at the sheer number of new eighth-realm powerhouses.

Nerom’s chuckle cut through the tension. "Well, should we call it the Big Fifteen now?" His tone was light, but the mist swirling around him pulsed with authority.

The leaders of the original Big Five glanced at him, their expressions unamused, but they said nothing, their focus on the unfolding situation.

Nerom’s gaze settled on the woman at the forefront of the Sun Branch army. She stood like a statue, her sword pointed downward, its blade gleaming with a fiery intensity. Known as the Sun Executioner, she exuded a quiet menace, her presence a warning to all who dared challenge her kin.

"Now, as I’m sure you know? There are things we are really curious about?" Nerom spoke to her.

She remained silent, her stance unwavering, her sword steady as if ready to cleave the heavens themselves.

"Hey, hey, you can’t leave us like this? We can’t go back home empty handed, you know? We would need some answers, Proud lions." Nerom taunted, however apart from a few soldiers, no one react to his words.

"Alright, Alright, the Sky palace won’t attack." He waved his hands in defeat.

Her eyes flicked to him, a flicker of curiosity in her otherwise stoic expression. "Why not attack?" she asked, her voice low and measured.

"Honestly?" Nerom shrugged, the mist around him swirling lazily. "It seems to me one of your own went rogue after gaining forbidden power. I’m just here to clarify, not to wage war."

The Sun Executioner nodded slowly, her gaze shifting to the leaders of the other Big Five factions. Honestly, the Sun executioner was only worried about the big five’s decision about it. Though the numbers of new 8th realm had also come as a shock to her, it didn’t really matter

They left their armies and floated forward, forming a loose circle around her. The Celestial Dragon leader, his scales shimmering with an iridescent glow, spoke first, his voice tinged with anger. "If you want our trust, swear that no other Whyte Clan member has learned another branch’s power."

Sun branch were already powerful. Giving them moon was like giving them wings, and before long, lions will learn to fly. Now he as a dragon, how could he ever accept that.

And the remaining leaders also nodded as if to agree to the leader of the celestial dragon.

The Sun Executioner raised her hand, and a single drop of blood fell, glowing briefly before transforming into a burst of white light that vanished into the ether.

"I swear on the Plaque," she said, her voice resolute. The Plaque was no mere oath; it was a binding promise, its consequences reverberating through an entire faction. Her willingness to invoke it quelled the tension, if only slightly.

Nerom clapped his hands, his face growing serious. "Alright, let’s get to it. What happened here?"

The Sun Executioner’s gaze hardened. "All we know is that it was a couple. They destroyed everything because the Moon Branch’s head destroyed something precious to them."

"Something precious?"

"What is it?"

The leader became relentless as they threw questions at her without giving her time. The questions came faster, overlapping in a barrage that gave the Sun Executioner no room to respond.

Frustration flashed across her face, and she swung her sword upward, striking the air as if it were solid ground. The resulting shockwave silenced the crowd, though the leaders’ expressions darkened.

"Quiet! I’m still speaking," she said, her voice cutting through the air like a blade.

"Apparently, It was a world."