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SM : [127] A Peaceful World
🕑 Added 2024-06-10 16:00:14 +0000 UTCA gaunt, black-haired youth in a hospital gown had bloodshot eyes that spoke of exhaustion and weariness. Yet, Reinhard's expression remained calm as he observed the scene before him.
After writing down his question, the paper in front of him started to manifest twisted, incomprehensible characters, each more disconcerting than the last. The mere sight of these scribbles seemed to provoke a sense of madness:
[Let Slaanesh smash Tzeentch!]
[More, more, it's coming out 🥵]
[When humans think, God laughs]
[Sorry, I couldn't free my hands earlier. Now, I'll answer... sorry, I can't free them again... sorry...]
[Didn't invite me to the party?]
[Those who know, know. Those who don't, I can't explain...]
The blood-stained, twisted letters kept changing erratically.
Finally, the paper solidified into a phrase that showcased the bizarre diversity of worldly desires:
[Yes, yes, yes! Burn, burn, burn! Anything can be burned! What is a trap? Just crush her rod and wreck her buttocks, hitting the gallbladder hard!]
"..."
Tsk.
Crush your what?
No more pretense. As expected, these answers were from the chosen ones of Slaanesh!
The ways of Slaanesh were like a raging flood, threatening the youth. Luckily, the Emperor-nee-chan was sitting right next to him! Call the Inquisitor quickly!
No... the tribunal probably can't handle you either, can it?
Although speechless, looking at such nonsensical answers, the black-haired youth slowly began to smile.
Indeed... the style of the answers hadn't changed a bit.
Reinhard almost understood what these entities, peeking into his life, truly were.
In truth, he had already anticipated such results.
Ever since the first question and answer session, Reinhard had personally experienced what these entities observing him were like...
They were 'Chaos Evil' just like him.
The beings peering into his life only wanted to see traps fall into depravity, their intentions devoid of malice, perhaps.
Maybe they were a bunch of guys with knowledge of sex comparable to a library, sexual experiences as thin as a sheet of A4 paper.
Their personalities were as elusive as chaos itself. No... it would be more accurate to say... they were chaos incarnate.
Each time he asked a question, he never received a clear or useful answer.
So, these entities were utterly useless!
Even so... not answering properly was also a kind of answer.
"Hmm, you can't see my mental activities, or rather, you can only glimpse a part of them...
"Otherwise, when I cursed you just now to always find source-less lewd pictures in the future, why didn't any of you chosen of Slaanesh express anger in your answers?
"Haha... are you watching me right now?
"Are you angry?
"Oh dear, sorry, sorry, don't be mad. As an apology, you can use mugwort on me if you like."
Reinhard clasped his hands together, earnestly apologizing to the entities watching him.
"Though common sense says you should expose your chest when apologizing, I'm not going to degrade myself, so I suppose you wouldn't be interested in my chest anyway, right? Tsk...
"I was lying to you all earlier... I was actually wishing you all well in my heart, hoping you meet someone you like and have a chance to practice your desires, thus shedding your mage identities!"
"Wishing you all to be dashing and elegant, like sakura trees in the wind, with blessings as vast as the sea, and longevity like the mountain, with a garden full of spring colors and a red apricot tree leaping over the wall..."
The black-haired youth muttered to himself, seemingly conversing with someone, grinning foolishly as he spoke.
As his voice faded, a strange power seemed to flow into his body out of nowhere.
Reinhard immediately felt... a bit more energetic, the fatigue from prolonged thinking eased somewhat, and his weary thoughts cleared up.
He glanced at his reflection in the toilet water, even the dark circles under his eyes had diminished.
His presence in this subspace grew more substantial.
Hehe... those entities are really fun.
Sorry, these entities are very useful! Sumimasen! I’ll prostrate myself to apologize!
"Confused? Clear? So, everyone is just as confused as I am.
"Tsk... looks like I was right.
"You can't really see what I'm thinking... or rather, you can't freely know my mental activities?
"If I speak a lot, does that mean you can only glimpse a part of my thoughts?"
The paper in his hand crumbled into a pile of ashes.
Although he hadn't received any valuable answers, Reinhard had, in a way, gotten the answer he wanted.
The questions and answers were not the key points. The attitude of these entities was the most critical aspect.
It wasn't that his current status was higher than chaos, rather, the entities observing him held a status that far surpassed the Warp.
How could he use their power?
"Hmm... although I can't converse directly with you, I can almost guess what you're observing.
"Tzeentch, Tzeentch. Wisdom beyond schemes, knowledge beyond strange. The only constant in this world is change itself.
"As someone attempting to grasp the Throne of Tzeentch, I have attracted your attention, and so, we are intertwined.
"This means... what you are pursuing is related to 'change,' am I right?
"The transformation of gender and orientation, what is called 'feminization,' is essentially a form of change, a contrast that stimulates.
"Beneath the surface of the Slaanesh style, there is actually a playful, unrestrained nature. You act as elusive as chaos because chaos is inherently indescribable.
"In other words..."
Reinhard looked up at the ceiling and laughed.
"You are a bunch of pleasure seekers.
"And... the Throne of Tzeentch represents the God of Schemes and the Master of Bizarre. I am becoming the most crazy pleasure seeker.
"Therefore, you find me extremely interesting.
"So, what you are ultimately pursuing is... pleasure."
At this thought, he laughed, a slightly hysterical laugh.
"Heh... heh heh heh..."
The black-haired youth raised his hand, pointed to his face, and smiled brightly.
"And I am your pleasure."
"In that case, I will put on a good show for you all."
His black bangs swayed slightly, obscuring his excessively deep eyes.
"I will bring you the greatest pleasure."
Reinhard said each word with a smile.
"After all, we are friends, aren't we?"
...
"Well, even I can tell he doesn't just want to be your friend, junior brother."
Inside the elegant carriage, it seemed even more cramped with a three-meter-tall white-haired, red-eyed gynoid sitting inside.
A black-haired young man held a chubby fox, his fingers stroking the silky tail of Jade, his head resting on the plump, soft thighs of Yu Mei-ren, eyes half-closed in enjoyment.
The hardest thing to resist is the kindness of a beautiful woman.
"Senior sister, are you jealous? You reek of vinegar."
"Why would I be jealous when I can openly consume you?"
Yu Mei-ren lowered her crimson, rich eyes, licking Reinhard's lips.
She wasn't wrong. She could openly taste him, possessing him in a way that would make Sima Yi envious and jealous.
"I gave away my personal card, thinking you'd be resentful for a while. After all, I haven't given you anything yet, have I?"
"That's just a trinket for comfort. I can have you. Tonight, my junior brother should exert himself to fill me up, to the brim."
Yu Mei-ren laughed sweetly.
Reinhard raised his hand with a smile, rubbing Yu Mei-ren's cheek. This vampir was so obedient it was pitiful, but when in pleasure, she would reveal her blood-sucking nature. She needed to be kept in check.
"I worry I won't be able to resist."
Indeed, unable to resist.
In fact, it didn't matter where he celebrated the new year.
However, Reinhard felt he should distance himself from Sima Yi, maintaining the distance of friends. If he couldn't get over that mental hurdle, why provoke at all?
There was always an inexplicable voice in his heart urging him to do something more excessive to Sima Yi.
Reinhard knew he could easily take shortcuts, but this kind of chaotic system was really...
The ways of Slaanesh were like a raging flood.
At the residence's new year's banquet, if he drank too much, he might really end up giving in. Now, distancing himself was for the best, to avoid turning into mutual resentment.
Reinhard really wasn't trying to flirt with Sima Yi. Initially, giving him women's clothes was just a mischievous act. A tearful Artoria was enough to make him feel pity.
However... his heart was so conflicted.
Whenever he saw Sima Yi in his stunning attire, it was hard not to think in that direction.
It was like seeing a cross-dressing expert in the group posting pictures, everyone would spam "Eww what's that brother... by the way, can you provide the source for research."
Beauty transcends gender.
Why couldn't Sima Yi become a woman?
Because... Reinhard realized his mischievousness wished for the beauty to admire him, yet felt if Sima Yi turned into a woman, it would seem less interesting.
A sin, truly a sin.
"Enough about that."
Reinhard smiled as he pinched Yu Mei-ren's cheek.
"Senior sister, why don't you tell us more about Xiang Yu? I need more of her experiences to recompile her memory."
The silver-haired, red-eyed gynoid with formidable arms sat quietly in the carriage, her eyelids lowered. Her current programming lacked the logic for autonomous movement, and her memory was blank.
The personality known as 'Xiang Yu' had been destroyed, but it could be slowly reconstructed through memories. By listening to Yu Mei-ren's stories, Reinhard could start filling in the blanks from scratch.
"Tonight... let's talk about it tonight. It's still daytime."
Yu Mei-ren's face turned slightly red.
After all, Reinhard loved to tease her in front of Xiang Yu, making her recount memories while gradually filling and satisfying the beautiful Yu Mei-ren until she overflowed.
The gynoid, a cherished possession of both friends, served as a delightful plaything, enhancing their enjoyment.
Besides, it helped suppress their murderous intentions. Perhaps Xiang Yu would understand once repaired, and maybe even join in...
The young man smiled faintly, resting his head on Yu Mei-ren's thighs, closing his eyes as if for a nap.
Yu Mei-ren gently stroked his hair, noticing a faint streak of silver among the dark strands, her expression momentarily startled.
"You have white hair, junior brother."
"Just a bit tired lately."
"The young master has been busy writing, managing fields, teaching, strategizing, and reforming this world. A strand of white hair is inevitable." Xu Fu commented as she approached, observing for a moment before smiling warmly.
"Xu Fu will prepare some elixirs to rejuvenate and restore your energy."
Reassured by Xu Fu's words, Yu Mei-ren relaxed.
In truth, that wasn't the real reason.
Everyone in the carriage... Reinhard, Xu Fu, and Jade knew that Yu Mei-ren's vampire nature unconsciously drained Reinhard's blood, sapping his essence.
A vampire's nature, after all.
It was a brilliant move by Gaia to target him through Yu Mei-ren. Why did she come to him so early... Accepting her was like planting a time bomb by his side.
But if it made senior sister happy, Reinhard didn't mind.
He never cared much about the Counter Force.
"Senior sister hates humans... even now, she still does. But I support you. I don't understand scheming, but if you need my help, just ask."
Yu Mei-ren's strength could rival any renowned warrior. Though she wasn't skilled in any magecraft, her immortality made her formidable.
However, Reinhard couldn't bear to see her constantly self-destructing, losing limbs... such a sight was unbecoming.
"Alright then." The young man said with a smile, "Senior sister, be good and take off your shoes."
"......"
Blushing for a moment, Yu Mei-ren whispered softly.
"...Pervert."
Obediently, she removed her elegant shoes. She typically disliked wearing footwear, but walking barefoot in the snow was too cold.
Her delicate, bare feet appeared before Reinhard, with perfect arches and soft, pink soles, her toes like pearls, tender as snow, clear as a stream.
Reinhard played with her slender feet, their translucence resembling crescent moons bathed in clear spring water.
A pair of black stockings would be perfect.
Teasing the blushing vampire, Reinhard slowly fell asleep, finally able to rest for a while after using illusions throughout the journey. He was truly tired.
Yu Mei-ren held him in her arms, her lowered eyes shimmering with a deep red hue.
She gazed at his hair, momentarily lost in thought.
[Mountains high, rivers long, the road ahead is boundless.]
[Another year of spring evening.]
[The dynasty's landscape remains, yet this world has quietly begun to stir, igniting sparks of change.]
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty, those treacherous Forgetfulness are indeed plotting rebellion! These are all urgent reports from various provinces and counties, compiled for your review..."
With an apparent injury near his hip, the great eunuch's steps were somewhat faltering.
With a cautious expression, this trusted and favored eunuch of the emperor squeezed out a flattering smile and piled the reports on the young emperor's desk.
The emperor glanced through a few reports with patience, finding all were from noble families across the provinces, reporting disturbances and extortions by the Forgetfulness, suspecting them of harboring rebellious intentions, urgently informing the capital.
He snorted, tossing the reports aside.
"Of course, do we need them to report this? I already suspected these bastards' intentions to deceive the public.
"I know better than anyone how these plagues and illnesses spread. Who cares about the lives of the common people? How could the Forgetfulness possibly be a group of simple-minded fools? Curing the plague? Huh! They merely covet the fate of my dynasty!"
"Your Majesty's wisdom is unmatched. It seems our dynasty's vitality is still thriving. These reports are the proof!"
The great eunuch quickly flattered.
"Receiving news of the Forgetfulness's rebellious intentions, the first to inform Your Majesty, shows the noble families' continued loyalty to the dynasty, truly loyal subjects."
"Loyal subjects? Ha..."
The young emperor laughed, pointing at the stack of reports.
"A thick stack like this, all loyal subjects of dynasty... do you believe it, my great eunuch?"
"This..."
"A ruse, that's all. I've purged the party members, and how could the gentry families not hate me? I know it well.
"I've killed many of these pedantic scholars, thinking they'd be quiet. Now they stir again... who knows if they've been swayed by the Forgetfulness.
"Want to prove loyalty?
"One or two, fine. But in such times, coming to prove loyalty so eagerly... what's that if not a guilty conscience?"
The emperor scoffed, beginning to draft an edict.
"Investigate! Investigate these families who reported the Forgetfulness. Investigate their connections and operations!
"Find out who among their disciples, former officials, sons, and brothers are in court, and remove them. Send them home to rest!
"These gentry families must have been infiltrated by the Forgetfulness! Those treacherous bastards are so rampant, who believes they have no support from the nobles?
"I'll make it clear to all these scheming spirits... the dynasty's realm is ultimately mine!"
[No family truly believed that Forgetfulness was simply providing disaster relief and aid to the people. They felt they had uncovered a shocking secret of the Forgetfulness, making rebellion seem all too reasonable.]
[The families you extorted through various means mostly reported to the capital, declaring that Forgetfulness intended to rebel and start an uprising. This was something they were firmly convinced of, hoping to gain some merit from it.]
[You carefully selected the families to extort, among them were not only various second-generation wastrels who bullied and oppressed others, but also many genuinely loyal and renowned figures devoted to the dynasty. These individuals constantly worried about the nation's fate, hoping the emperor would sweep away treacherous officials. They were loyal both inside and out, exemplifying the faithful servants of the dynasty.]
[Yet, the emperor unexpectedly issued an edict, sending armored guards to thoroughly search the residences of these reporting families. As a result, in the estates of several famous families in the capital, they indeed found masks suspected to belong to the Forgetfulness.]
[This... was not your doing.]
[You couldn't help but marvel at the emperor's cleverness.]
[The officials whom the emperor had long found displeasing were thus arrested, punished, and dismissed, using the momentum of the Forgetfulness's winds to purge dissenters and strengthen imperial power.]
[Who was actually connected with the Forgetfulness no longer mattered.]
[Whoever the emperor decided was colluding with the Forgetfulness was, indeed, declared to be colluding with the Forgetfulness. This served as an incredibly convenient excuse.]
[A large number of renowned scholars were imprisoned, and for a time, everyone was terrified, silent as cicadas in winter, and the court was in chaos.]
[The emperor was well aware of the various corrupt practices of officials, yet he himself was the head of all corruption in the world. He was a genius at selling official positions. Without the profits from corruption, how could tributes and contributions be made to the capital?]
[Oddly, the emperor lost interest in women and began recruiting handsome men from across the country, building palaces, and taking away the labor force that was the backbone of commoners' families, causing public resentment to boil over.]
[The fragile trust between court and noble families, already precarious, was further shattered by the accumulating reports of rebellion.]
[Now, in the dynasty's court and among its noble families, there remained only a pitifully thick barrier of mistrust, like a wall separating them.]
"What is the Chain of Suspicion?"
The young man, adorned with a fox, folded his hands into his sleeves as he unraveled the current state of affairs in the manor for his fellow disciples.
The young strategists present were all astute individuals. with just a few words, he could articulate the entire plan clearly.
"Strategy one is the overt plan, Shocking the Tiger.
"A thunderbolt striking the capital, spreading the knowledge of our existence across the land, sparking spontaneous publicity for our cause. Our reputation now echoes throughout the thirteen provinces.
"Strategy two is the covert plan, the Dark Forest.
"The current emperor is naturally suspicious, so with a little stirring, the already precarious trust will be shattered. The aristocrats will face party restrictions, friction between them and the eunuchs will intensify, and even if they report rebellion, their loyalty won't be easily trusted by him.
"Instead, this gives him a reason, an excuse.
"Because he fundamentally cannot determine whether a family has truly been bought by the Forgetfulness. Nor can the families be sure if they'll be implicated with the Forgetfulness by him.
"You'll suspect how I think, and I'll suspect how you think, and you'll suspect how I suspect you think...
"This is the Chain of Suspicion.
"People cannot peer into each other's hearts, conflicting perspectives and interests breed mutual suspicion, forming an endless chain.
"So, the clever emperor will surely choose to strike first."
The Forgetfulness visited the aristocratic families of various prefectures, ostensibly extorting them, with the aristocrats as victims, but privately?
The emperor knew well, the aristocrats held deep grievances against him.
Even among the aristocrats themselves, they couldn't be certain if the other was truly unconnected with the Forgetfulness.
It's like your teammate tells you there's a big ambush ahead.
Who would believe it?
Rushing in would be suicidal.
"A conspiracy? Personally, I think this is an ingenious, fundamentally unassailable overt plan."
Jia Xu, always skilled at sowing discord, was quite intrigued, he felt Zhang Jue's scheme was far more venomous than his own.
"Why name Strategy Two 'the Dark Forest'? It's such a peculiar name, yet it seems to carry a hint of profound meaning."
"Just a random choice."
"Brother Jue, your choice isn't random at all. The human heart is as dark as a deep forest, right?" Guo Jia murmured softly. "Indeed, it has a brilliant connotation."
"You actually hope the current emperor will awaken, don't you, Brother Jue?"
The normally taciturn Pang Tong spoke up, one word at a time.
"He's an undeniably clever person, originally capable of being a good emperor, but ultimately, he's just a series of disappointments."
"Yes, we've given him many chances already, but he... only leaves disappointment to the world."
Reinhard lowered his eyelids.
"It's precisely in this disappointment that he adds another spark."
A rotten emperor, even more so than no emperor, is better fuel for the flames.
Fire, flames.
The young man glanced at the faint winter snow outside the academy, somehow feeling that this winter seemed particularly long. It was already almost the end of the month, yet the snow showed no sign of stopping.
...
"It's almost new year, let's have some dish."
The doctor handed a plate of dishes to Reinhard. The black-haired youth quietly read his book, showing no signs of agitation, hysteria, or schizophrenia.
Only the doctor knew just how deranged he truly was.
"You've been here for half a year already, Reinhard, and your condition has gradually stabilized. If you keep going like this, you might be able to leave the hospital before the festival."
"I can't leave the hospital. This ward is my protection." Reinhard put down his philosophical book. "I've said it, I have to deal with the contamination of the moonlit world history."
"Well, well... you have agreed to let your parents come and see you... what do you need this time?"
Last time, Reinhard wanted to split the sky with thunder in the capital.
Using hypnotic therapy based on his mental imagery, he had the doctor bring in a basin of water and stuffed a model of the capital hall into it, then began tossing thunder sugar into the basin incessantly, claiming it was Zeus's thunder.
Considering the question, Reinhard pondered for a moment.
"Get me... some Gundam toys."
[Last year, few people starved, the harvest was abundant, and everything seemed to be improving towards prosperity.]
[But... this summer, the harsh winter snow only stopped, just as the spring planting began, followed by an unprecedented drought, with vast tracts of farmland yielding nothing.]
[Last year was fruitful, this year barren. Yet the current emperor did not lower the taxes he raised, or rather, even if he did, those officials who had been squeezing the people dry wouldn't relent.]
[The Forgetfulness helped with disaster relief, operations, and the circulation of money and grain...]
[But, in the face of the epidemic plaguing the realm, what good is the charity of one person or a group?]
[However... it's like a drop in the ocean.]
[You walked through the villages and towns you once saved from decay and found that those who you revived from the festering wounds last year died from hunger this year, with vast fields turning into desolate wastelands.]
[You walked through the bustling streets of the capital, your gaze seemingly piercing through the luxurious gates of those magnificent mansions, where monks visited to translate scriptures, receiving heaps of gold, silver, treasures, fine wines, and meats.]
[The young strategists shook their heads and sighed, everyone had done their utmost, but it wasn't enough.]
[Their eyes turned to you.]
[Everyone is waiting for your decision.]
[You walked up to the mountain, gazing at the ethereal clouds and mist between the peaks, feeling somewhat dazed.]
"Perplexed, unable to let go?"
The old man immortal, draped in a robe, approached behind the young man.
"Some old man once said, 'Don't leave the mountain. By not descending into the world, you won't suffer.'"
"Isn't that self-deception, old man?"
"What does self-deception matter? After twenty years of developing power, you will undoubtedly be a peerless master, achieving great freedom, free to roam the world."
The young man lowered his eyelids.
"Twenty years? How many people will die in the world in twenty years?"
"All things are one, in quietude and inaction, such is the fate, the natural way of the path. People are just numbers in the cycle of reincarnation." The old man sighed. "Child, you have misunderstood."
"Yes, I have misunderstood.
"I beg you to take care of my biological mother."
The young man stood up, bowed to the old man, and headed down the mountain path. This time, he wouldn't be coming back.
Two priests, dressed in robes, stood at the gate of the temple.
They silently watched as the young man's figure gradually receded into the distance.
"Master, does the junior disciple know what he's going to do?"
"He knows." The old man hummed. "He's going to heal, to save lives."
Heal and save lives.
...
The burly figure of the military general, almost bordering on corpulence, knelt upon the court, his visage imposing, his sideburns bristling.
"The Forgetfulness seeks to help the people, yet we should peel away their facade, let the world see their hypocrisy. Your Majesty wishes to expel the demons, why not invite them into the pot?"
"Oh? What manner of invitation is this? Do tell."
"This year's severe drought, the fields wither, famine ravages the most people. Your Majesty, why not gather the famine-stricken populace, claiming it's for disaster relief, while actually abandoning them to starve? The Forgetfulness intends to help the people, surely they cannot ignore this. Your Majesty can deploy elite soldiers in ambush."
"And if the Forgetfulness doesn't come?"
"If they don't come... then in every province and county, mimic their actions until they do."
The robust general chuckled.
"The common folk, as of late, have been drawn to the Forgetfulness, revering these demons as gods, kowtowing thrice and bowing nine times, a clear transgression. Your Majesty, how to deal with it is the fortune of the people."
As the voices fell silent.
Upon the court, a cacophony of whispers rose and fell.
Though no one regarded the lives of commoners as sacred, yet... it still bore the mark of a cunning, albeit venomous, scheme.
The great scholar's lips trembled, and his eyes closed in a sigh.
A smile graced the emperor's lips, this was talent.
"A fine scheme, worthy of reward, and who are you?"
"Only minor inspectors in the eastern province."
The emperor pointed at him with a smile, "You now shall be the governor of the eastern province!"
The burly general prostrated himself in gratitude.
[A large number of refugees were concentrated on the barren fields. Upon hearing the news of the court's relief efforts, countless ragged and emaciated refugees began to gather spontaneously in this area.]
[However... it was only after they arrived that they realized there was no food aid, only elixirs to consume.]
[Tens of thousands of famine-stricken people were trapped within the tightly guarded military formations, their sunken eyes filled with despair akin to weathered wood.]
The sunlight waned, and the twilight descended.
The desolate earth was crowded with skeletal figures.
"If I were the Forgetfulness, I would never come."
The burly general who had just risen to become governor sneered at the scene, he never believed that these sorcerers and demons harbored any intention of saving the world.
Rebellion was not sincere.
It was merely deception.
As the saying goes, misleading words can sway the masses, and by consolidating the faith of the common people, one can often benefit their own practice.
The Forgetfulness was no different from the ancient and present sorcerers who deceived the people, deviating from the orthodox path.
Even though the dynasty was crumbling, and the people were in dire straits, what did their plight have to do with the lavish lifestyle of us officials?
The stable leylines still protected the dynasty, with the first emperor's imperial seal, he always saw the situation clearly, he would always stand on the side of the victor.
The mandate was in the dynasty, he was naturally loyal to the dynasty.
Five thousand elite soldiers were dispatched, forming a formidable army, their towering aura reaching the heavens.
The burly general raised his gaze, looking towards the scarlet-colored mecha suspended in the sky. With that crimson mechanic stationed there, how dared the Forgetfulness launch an attack?
Meanwhile...
A group of young men, clad in masks, stood on the distant mountains, silent and unmoving, gazing at the scene from afar, their hands clenched tightly.
They stood for a long, long time.
"Brother Jue, please be patient..."
The rational Xun Yu could see the situation clearly.
"We don't yet have the capital to confront the court head-on. Let's first form alliances, persuade the aristocrats, and build up our forces.
"The aristocratic families are already starting to waver. With our eloquence, we can surely convince them. The commoners alone cannot resist these monstrous individuals."
Their techniques were formidable, controlling the weather was child's play to them, they could easily protect themselves, and even after learning various modern knowledge, they were now capable of confronting renowned generals.
However... it was impossible for them to save the lives of the refugees trapped within that general, the crimson mech, and the five thousand iron-clad soldiers' encirclement.
A sense of powerlessness.
A strong sense of powerlessness surged within them, after all, one person's strength was still too weak.
In such a direct battlefield.
In the eyes of the young men... some seemed dazed.
The young man, wearing a red mask, took slow steps and passed through the army.
"A single person is enough."
The young man drew a spell and cast it towards the clouds.
"I say let there be rain."
...
On the go board where the strategy of 'unifying vertically and horizontally' prevails, there are densely packed black stones, forming a circle around the center where white stones are piled up.
The doctor watched as the black-haired youth raised a cup of water, pouring it slowly onto the board from mid-air.
...
The burly general standing before the military formation, raised his gaze, somewhat dazed, gazing at the sky, which had suddenly darkened, clouds looming ominously.
Droplets cascaded down.
Torrential rain poured.
People stood in stunned silence, bathing in the waterfall-like rain. This province had not seen a drop of water for two months already.
"I-Immortal..."
"He's an immortal from the Forgetfulness..."
The famine-stricken murmured in disbelief.
The soldiers were somewhat panicked, aware of the rumors about the heavenly thunder striking the capital.
In the pouring rain, a swaying yellow figure slowly emerged... it was the color of a young man's robe.
Standing before the five thousand soldiers and the giant crimson mech.
The young man with the red mask slowly removed his hat and mask, revealing the youthful and handsome face beneath.
In an instant.
Countless people displayed expressions of astonishment. None had expected that the disruptive red-masked man was actually such a slender youth.
"Who are you..."
The burly general's eyes widened slightly, his robust figure emanating a formidable aura, causing the pouring rain around him to retreat.
However... there was no answer.
The young man simply walked straight ahead, slowly approaching.
A group of soldiers gripped their halberds, cautiously moving closer to him.
...
On the go board, the black-haired youth picked up a black stone.
...
Suddenly.
Amidst the bewildered and shocked gazes of the crowd.
As if all their souls had been sucked away, the approaching soldiers showed expressions of confusion before collapsing to the ground, completely motionless.
Silence.
A silence as profound as death.
The soldiers who had formed ranks began to retreat in astonishment, creating a path.
Allowing the young man to slowly pass through the crowd of famine-stricken.
"I'll give you a choice."
Facing the raging elements of nature.
Reinhard spoke softly to the emaciated crowd, his gentle voice resonating in the hearts of everyone present.
"If you refuse to be living skeletons and wish to fight back, you can join me.
"If you want to die with dignity, you can stay here, continue eating bark, chewing grass roots.
"If you want to eat a full meal, wear warm clothes, even if you don't have the chance, you can choose a more dignified death."
The biting wind.
Torrential rain.
Overhead, thunder rumbled, and the crimson giant mech descended slowly, its blazing cannon aimed at the young man's back.
"Are you from the Forgetfulness?" A voice came from inside the crimson mecha asked.
The young man didn't even turn his head, just lifted his gaze to the long-awaited rain.
"No, I'm the Way of the Great Peace."
"Regardless of what you mean, you've offended the dignity of the dynasty and must die."
"Must die...?" Reinhard chuckled. "How do you compare to Zeus?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Even Zeus wouldn't dare speak to me like that, let alone someone like you covered in scrap iron!"
...
The black-haired youth raised his hand and casually overturned the Gundam on the go board.
...
Boom!
As if an irresistible force spread through the void, the crimson mech was suddenly slapped away, crashing into a nearby mountain range, sparks exploding everywhere.
"...What the fuck!"
How was this attack launched...
The man inside the crimson mecha strained to maneuver his mech, attempting to calculate data about this young man, but everything seemed like a puzzle.
"High and mighty, I have that too."
A mechanized body with six arms descended from the sky, crashing onto the ground. With silver hair and crimson eyes, it wore an indifferent expression as it delivered a fierce punch to the crimson mecha's face.
People watched in astonishment as the two chromium-plated mechs engaged in a fierce battle.
"Six arms... is that the hegemon Xiang Yu?"
The burly general's gaze trembled.
"Who are you exactly?"
"Just a passing young man."
Sighs echoed one after another as figures wearing masks emerged from the rain behind the young man.
"Sir Red, do you know what you're doing?"
"I do. Healing and saving lives."
The youngest member of the Water Mirror Manor answered softly.
"Healing the world and saving people."
The young strategists smiled slowly, no longer speaking, because the person in front of them had already made a decision, and they would follow.
The Forgetfulness, it's time to change the name.
In the future, only the Way of the Great Peace remained.
"What is a peaceful world?
"I wish everyone in the world to be like dragons...?
"No, I wish everyone in the world to be like humans.
"I wish people everywhere could escape hunger and suffering, have peaceful and prosperous days, free from misery, able to live with human dignity and survive well.
"Suffering is just suffering, it never makes people grow. The more people suffer, the more burdened they become, and leaders lose their moral integrity.
"Yes, yes. Why bow down to luxury and splendor, to wealth and status?"
The young manor looked at the burly general.
"In fact, people don't need your charity.
"To eat a full meal, wear warm clothes, have a stable home, and not die from disease.
"That's just a modest wish..."
A glimmer of light in the darkness, however faint, would compel desperate people to strive for it.
The young man's words resonated in the hearts of the famine-stricken.
Having practiced the Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan, he also knew alchemy, corpse refining, witchcraft, and all sorts of dark arts.
And his mastery of illusions far surpassed Merlin's by far, far too much.
So, Reinhard gave people a choice.
To die without dignity or to voluntarily accept his illusionary power, burning their blood and fighting.
So...
In the pouring rain.
One, two, ten, hundreds...
People with flames burning in their pupils slowly stood up.
Thousands of starving, ragged refugees began to voluntarily burn their own blood, wielding broken hoes, sickles, and farm tools as weapons, launching fearless charges against the seemingly invincible armored soldiers.
Refusing to be living skeletons, they fought like praying mantises.
When their farm tools shattered, they used their nails to tear.
When their nails fell off, they used their teeth to gnaw.
When their teeth fell out, they pulled out their own bones to stab.
They surged forward like madmen, even though the iron-clad lines seemed impenetrable, crumbling under their bodies into shattered remnants.
The burly general retreated in embarrassment.
His whereabouts were unknown.
The five thousand soldiers began to flee.
In the torrential rain, blood was washed away from the ground.
Gradually, those who had barely survived, who still had a breath left, gathered around the young man.
Like moths to a flame.
Their numb faces dripping wet, bodies drenched in fresh blood, their pupils reflecting flames.
They were moths.
But who was the sought-after flame?
"Master..."
"Master..."
"Master..."
Hoarse, withered words echoed from the mouths of these weak, hungry commoners, rising and falling.
"Thank you."
The young man looked at them with hopeful eyes, unable to meet their gaze.
"No need to thank me." Reinhard lowered his eyes in pity. He knew most of these people were close to death.
Because fire needs fuel.
They had burned out.
"It was your choice."
"Without you, we wouldn't even have had the chance to choose."
"I see..."
The rain began to taper off.
Those who had burned their life force slowly, like ripe wheat in autumn, smiled contentedly as they fell.
The fleeing soldiers, still numbering over a thousand, slowly regrouped, but hesitated to approach.
In everyone's eyes.
The young man bowed slowly.
From the blood-soaked field, he picked up a willow branch.
Bare and stripped of bark, there was nothing left.
Around him lay a landscape of corpses, bodies rotting in the mud.
In that moment, Reinhard finally understood.
In this world... there were never any Nine-Section Staff, nor immortal staffs.
Because even immortals had long withdrawn from the inner sea of the planet.
Because even immortals feared disease.
Just like the Human Order, only hoping for survival and never standing with humanity.
Why should humanity need the Human Order to define it?
Cause and effect, karmic obstacles.
Untainted, dying without regrets...
Reinhard bowed, picking up his own Nine-Section Staff from the corruption and decay of this world.
It was just a gnawed branch.
It represented the simplicity of the common people of this land, who suffered through both prosperity and decline.
The Throne of Heroes...
The heroes are illustrious and dazzling.
So, the throne was only worthy of recording the names of heroes.
No one would remember the nameless and ordinary people.
Yet it was these nameless masses that bore the weight of history.
The Human Order.
What is the Human Order?
...Behind me lies the Human Order.
[Unlocking Noble Phantasm: Nine-Section Staff.]
[Rank: EX.]
[Anti-Army Noble Phantasm.]
[Maximum Capture: 999999.]
[When the azure sky dies, the yellow sky shall rise.]
[They will wait for you, waiting for a vision of peace where they can eat, wear warm clothes, and not die from disease, truly realized. All you need to do is call out.]
[The Yellow Turban Army will come.]
Standing amidst the embrace of the land, tears streaming down his face, Reinhard grasped the withered staff.
He slowly raised his gaze and whispered softly.
"Peaceful world..."
The young man's soft voice faded away.
The world seemed to fall silent for a moment.
He was the Pure Heart.
And so, he could... 'deceive the world.'
Reinhard would deceive the world before people died out.
So...
In the stunned gaze of crimson mecha suspended in the sky.
In the trembling eyes of the burly general and the remaining soldiers.
In the quivering sighs of the Water Mirror Manor disciples.
Countless phantom figures, tattered and worn, slowly rose from the scorched earth of the battlefield, standing once again behind the young man.
Silent, unwavering.
Heroic Spirits? Thousands upon thousands of Heroic Spirits?!
...No, no...
They were just... remnants of souls.
Persistent, beckoning spirits.
"Master, do you still need me...
"Master, do you still need the strength we waited for?
"Even if we are just the souls of the dead, if we can be of use to you, then please use us as you wish."
They, emaciated and frail, stood in silence.
This silence was deafening.
Not the brilliant and dazzling heroes.
But nameless, ordinary mortals.
Just a group of ragged, nearly starved people.
Dozens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands...
The indomitable spirits, beckoning.
This was the unwavering conviction held in response to the vision of peace that the young man spoke of.
Souls with conviction, even in death, refused to find peace in the depths of hell.
Why wouldn't they?
Because they were 'unwilling.'
What did it matter if they were nameless mortals?
Why couldn't mortals become Heroic Spirits?
The withered branch in the young man's hand was the seat of their gathered spirits.
"In truth, I have deceived you... You cannot see the day when peace reigns... Following me will only bring suffering... Exhaustion... and no rest..."
"We've known this kind of suffering, Master. But we follow you, hoping that those who come after us will have a mouthful of rice to eat."
Having a mouthful to eat.
The armored soldiers, silent and stunned, looked on.
They watched the young man, holding the withered branch, sitting amidst the pile of corpses, lost in thought for a long time.
He looked up, tears streaming down his face, and whispered softly.
"The azure sky dies..."
Summoning the Yellow Turban Army with the Nine-Section Staff.
What came forth were not just individuals, but the restless souls of the unwilling dead.
Countless tattered Yellow Turban Army swayed in the scorching wind of the battlefield.
Yellow is the color of the earth.
Their silence was deafening.
Their roars shook the heavens and earth.
"The yellow sky shall rise!"
