The Empyreal Gem Master

The scene was a dreary one as a mile away from the Walls of Carthage, a tide of Beasts of Corruption led by multiple Four-Link Beasts and even a Four-Link Gem Master could be seen!

It was menacing because all of these unruly Beasts of Corruption let out guttural roars silently, but they were restrained and controlled.

Simply waiting for the permission to be let loose as they unleashed carnage thereafter.

Looking at such a scene, the figure of Branch Leader Axel crackling with blue lightning shook with anger, his mouth opening to release a bellow directed towards nobody but the golden haired Four-Link Gem Master seated on the Golden Flame Lion.

"A Gem Master strutting in on top of a Beast of Corruption! I never thought I would see the fucking day. What is your Galanis Bloodline thinking?!"

His roar was filled with primal anger.

The Beasts of Corruption that laid waste to their World before they were able to protect small continents over time.

Those who took the lives of billions of Humans across the globe!

Why would a human ever be seen sitting atop a Beast of Corruption within a Beast Tide facing other Humans?

It was an idea so foreign and unfathomable that at this moment, the golden haired middle aged man on top of the Golden Flame Lion smiled while shaking his head.

Golden hair and blue eyes.

A trait of the Galanis Bloodline that distinguished them powerfully among the Four Human Lineages, with their overall strength and amount of remaining land they protected making them ranked third in terms of power.

The Asmodeus Bloodline was, of course, ranked fourth purely in terms of the land they protected, with their Gem Masters within the Ascendant Branches being of similar power!

And yet, A Gem Master of the Galanis Bloodline stood in the midst of a Beast Tide, other Gem Masters following behind him as he shook his head while replying with mysticism.

"There are things more complex than you can ever imagine, Little Branch Leader Axel. I won’t even waste words with you as I have a simple proposal."

Words that caused the anger within Branch Leader Axel to rise and the grimness on Branch Leader Julius to increase came out.

And their expressions only worsened from the words that followed.

"Give us the girl, and the hundreds of thousands inside Carthage will be spared."

…!

Give us the girl.

A simple enough sentence that shouldn’t have too much power.

And yet it confirmed everything Branch Leader Julius feared as he closed his eyes, the tendrils of flames burning around his body becoming even more radiant as he began to rise over the wall.

In the skies where dark clouds gathered more and more, with drops of rain becoming ever so prevalent, Branch Leader Axel had already reached the limits of his anger as only pristine apathy showed on his face when he heard the words that could only relate to his daughter.

His voice was carried by the lightning around him as it thundered out.

"Over my dead body, you traitorous worm. Did you ever think of what your actions mean? Do you think the Asmodeus Bloodline is so weak? Do you think the forces of the Ascendant Branch will sit still?! Do you think we don’t know of you, Neiman?!"

His words were booming.

Branch Leader Neiman of the Mortal Branch of the Galanis Bloodline.

He smiled once more at the words of Branch Leader Axel as he actually turned his gaze away from him and towards Branch Leader Julius.

"I know you make most of the critical decisions here, so I’ll let you know that the signal you sent out towards the Ascendant Branch of the Asmodeus Bloodline will never reach them. When they do find out about one of their City Fortresses, it will be when it has all turned to rubble. So before that happens…let us make this easy.

The cost of one girl, or the hundreds of thousands of lives behind those frail walls. The choice is clear, isn’t it? Any true leader knows what the correct choice would be. The girl is known as…Claire Asmodeus I believe, anyone on those walls can give her up and you will be granted amnesty and guaranteed safety for you and your family."

The words were filled with snakelike venom, the gazes all Gem Masters changing on the walls.

Hearing his daughter’s name actually mentioned, the cold eyes of Branch Leader Axel closed as the tendrils of lightning around him became much more concentrated.

He thought of the frail figure of Alexander that had actually thought ahead far enough to keep his daughter away from here.

He prayed for her safety.

And to ensure this safety…

BOOM!

Crackling thunder and lightning crashed all around him as he opened his eyes and uttered out.

"The flames of humanity burn bright."

…!

His voice was booming.

It covered everything ahead and behind as it thundered in the hearts of all who heard it.

And once the Gem Masters on top of the Walls of Carthage heard it, their hearts became firmer as they opened their mouths and repeated in synchrony.

"The flames of humanity burn bright!"

Their voices were booming.

A sense of fear and valor was mixed in, but it was firm.

It was their dedication to protect the City behind them. Their dedication to not allowing Beasts of Corruption to gain another edge!

An air of glorious power surged around the Walls of Carthage as the Beasts of Corruption roared in threatening tones in the distance.

The body of Branch Leader Julius came to float besides Branch Leader Axel as his gaze was filled with heavy determination.

He whispered to his old friend beside him.

"Let loose. Do not worry about your daughter, my son will keep her safe."

…!

A whisper from one leader to another.

Axel heard it as he nodded firmly, and Branch Leader Julius looked ahead at the enemies ahead of them.

Multiple Four-Link Beasts of Corruption. Gem Masters under the lead of a Four-Link Branch Leader.

It was an assault that may have caused despair for others, but for him and all the lives depending on him in Carthage…they were nothing!

He wouldn’t let history repeat itself.

So he raised his fist up as he also bellowed out.

"Unbreakable Honor!"

HUUM!

Unbreakable honor.

The motto of the Asmodeus Bloodline.

Branch Leader Julius shouted it out as it was followed by a bellow from all those behind him.

"UNBREAKABLE HONOR!"

…!

What followed thereafter was an incandescent glow of tens of thousands of Gem Sockets shining brightly- along with the roars of brutal Beasts!

Along the heavy downpour of rain!