Chapter 253 - 217: The Disaster Has Arrived

Raphael’s solemn voice echoed through the telepathic link.

’Sir, these two arrived on Hurst World three years ago. Half of the Interstellar Pirates down there have received their covert funding. What’s more, they’ve also secretly cultivated a Cult in the Lower City District...’

At this point in his explanation,

the memories of the deformed Cultists that had overrun the Verne Lower City District flooded back like a nightmare. Even after more than a decade, the thought of them still filled him with anger and unease.

’The Trick Witch’s Spiritual Energy signal was an order for them to incite a rebellion in the Lower City District. Like the Interstellar Pirates, Kles’s true goal isn’t to plunder the Capet Dynasty’s commercial territories. He’s using this as an opportunity to stifle the Administrative Region’s economic growth and halt the progress of the Vengeful Angels project.

And...’

Raphael turned to look at Reinhardt beside him and took a deep breath.

’A rebel Imperial Legion may have already reached Verne’s Void Exit.’

Every member of the Vengeance Angel Squad could hear the conversation on the shared telepathic link.

When Manon and Matthias heard this explosive, earth-shattering secret, their expressions became deeply unsettled. It was a level of shock they hadn’t felt even when facing encirclement by the Kemola Space Dragon Race!

A Rebel Legion—!

This wasn’t some local warlord from the Ash Soil Star Zone, or a self-proclaimed Knight Lord playing king.

Even if the Imperial Legion arriving at Verne’s Void Exit was just a splinter group, it was likely a terrifying military force, complete with a Main Battle Knight Fleet, Elite Formations, an Imperial Think Tank, Technician Soldiers, and an Auxiliary Army of tens of millions of infantry!

And since they were rebels, they might even possess terrifying powers granted to them by Void Demons!

Most importantly,

if this rebel force arriving in the Ash Soil Star Zone included a powerful Knight of Legendary Level, they would have absolutely no chance of resisting, let alone winning.

Manon had once served in the Third Legion, the Emperor’s Shield.

Matthias had served in the Seventh Group Army.

No one knew better than them the terror of an Imperial Rebel Army that had fallen to the Demons, or of a Legendary Immortal who had betrayed the Empire!

Manon, who was suppressing the resistance inside the control tower, stared wide-eyed and exclaimed, "That’s impossible—! Raphael, you can’t joke about something like this. Are you sure?"

’This is intelligence I recovered from the memories of Kles’s men... but I can’t rule out the possibility that it’s a plot by a Great Demon.’

Though Raphael was a native of the Ash Soil Star Zone, he understood the gravity of the situation.

He had never seen this in his precognitive visions, so, to be cautious, he didn’t dare confirm it himself. That was why he looked to Reinhardt for his opinion.

Upon hearing the news, Reinhardt’s brow furrowed slightly as he considered it for a moment.

’Relay this to Sedon in secret. Don’t reveal it to anyone but him. The Administrative Region’s Think Tank Group... can’t be trusted for the time being.’

The Administrative Region had a considerable number of high-level Think Tanks.

But none of them had ever predicted this turn of events.

It was possible that the Ten Thousand Changes Demon Monarch, or even one of the Four Gods—the Formless Divine Monarch—had personally intervened to block their visions of the future. But the intelligence leak during the Kemola Battle was still a fresh and vivid memory.

Passing this information to the Think Tank Group was an enormous risk.

However,

when Raphael contacted Sedon via the Radiant Beacon, the reply was just a single, short sentence: Verne’s defensive line was on the verge of collapse.

He also ordered Reinhardt to return to Iberia immediately after suppressing the rebellion on Hurst.

Hurst World, home to the Golden Capital, had maintained a long period of general peace, even in the era following the Great Rebellion.

It was located at the edge of the Star Zone governed by the Administrative Region, over a hundred light-years from Verne in a straight line. The nearest Void Storm was the one shrouding the skies above Verne.

It was one of the few relatively safe worlds in the Ash Soil Star Zone.

Otherwise, Hurst would never have become such a prosperous and bustling commercial hub, where every inch of land was as precious as gold.

After Sedon’s reply, a long silence fell over the shared telepathic link.

Manon slammed his fist into the wall.

His sudden violent outburst startled the Free Knights and merchant leaders present, sending a cold sweat down their backs.

"Bastards—!"

Matthias remained calm. "Let’s deal with Hurst first, Sir," he said in a low voice. "We should contact Lady Catherine. In wartime, this place is the most critical economic pillar for the Administrative Region."

Though the mission on Hurst wasn’t on the front lines, its strategic importance was no less than that of a major battlefield.

After receiving authorization from Reinhardt, Raphael began contacting Lady Catherine.

Meanwhile, Robie walked over to Reinhardt’s side. Overlooking the Stereoscopic City below the observation deck, he let out a low chuckle and said, "Killing them just like that... you’re too merciful, Reinhardt."

The situation on Hurst required suppression, and Reinhardt was in no mood to make small talk with this madman.

’Manon, lift the lockdown on the tower. Inform the merchant leaders that the Capet Dynasty’s internal rebellion has been suppressed. Tell them to wait here for Lady Catherine.

If anyone tries to escape, execute them on the spot as a heretic.’

Robie leaned against the terrace railing and said with a smile, "An Imperial Rebel Army... now that’s an interesting piece of news.

I bet the fools at the Administrative Region Military Affairs Department are at their wits’ end right about now."

Reinhardt turned to face him, taking the War Axe from his back. "You knew about this?" he asked coldly.

Robie sensed Reinhardt’s hostility, but he wasn’t the least bit flustered. Instead, he just grinned.

"Of course not."

Then he turned his head, staring intently at Raphael. "If you don’t want others listening in, you should remember to encrypt your Telepathy next time... my dear friend."

As Robie’s gaze fell on him, Raphael felt a bone-deep chill spread through his body.

He was utterly horrified.

’This bastard can actually eavesdrop on our Telepathy?!’

In all his years of service with the Vengeance Angel Squad, he had never imagined someone could eavesdrop on a Mind Mark.

In other words, from the moment they boarded the ship together, this guy had been listening to every single word they’d exchanged via Telepathy!

Working with a man like this, Raphael felt as if a venomous snake was coiled around his neck. It was terrifying.

If the Robbie Hiling of years past had been just a competitive troublemaker, the Robie of twenty years later had changed so much that even Reinhardt couldn’t fathom the bastard’s intentions.

However,

suppressing the Cult and Interstellar Pirate rebellion on Hurst was vital for stabilizing the Administrative Region’s home front and economy. There was no room for error.

He wasted no more time on Robie. Shouldering his War Axe, he vaulted over the observation deck’s railing and leaped, plummeting from a height of one thousand meters above the planet’s surface!

He had killed enough Cultists on Verne to build a mountain from their corpses.

For him and Raphael, suppressing the Cultist rebellion on Hurst was only a matter of time.