The army's impressive combat prowess was, in part, a proof to their steel-like willpower.
After several of the Qin warriors were injured, they showed no sign of concern.
In contrast, the two disciples of the Moon Palace had tears brimming in their eyes and bit their lips in silence. Seeing their pitiful, delicate faces, Lucien's heart softened.
Internal injuries could not be taken lightly.
To prevent their conditions from worsening, Lucien had the two girls stay close to him while he attended to the injured Qin warriors.
"It's just minor scratches, my lord. There's no need to worry!"
One of the stoic female warriors spoke dismissively.
Another elite warrior arched her brow slightly and clasped her hands. "Your Majesty, please rest assured. We are but humble servants, ready to fight again."
"Doesn't it hurt?" Lucien's expression tightened.
These injuries weren't minor scrapes. The boss's attack had fractured the ground for a hundred meters. If not for the Qin warriors' formidable physiques, the injuries could have been fatal.
"It's nothing, your majesty!"
Even as they spoke, the women's bodies bore bloody wounds. Their abdomens were soaked red, bones fractured, and both arms slackened.
Seeing this, Lucien sighed with exasperation.
After administering simple bandages, he retrieved some Moonlight Elixirs from his inventory for them to drink.
The elixir was potent, excellent for recovery, though not a miracle cure. Healing such severe trauma would still require time.
Even with the elixirs, the deeply wounded Qin warriors were only partially rejuvenated.
These warriors refused further treatment, believing that their king could resurrect them should they perish. To them, dying for their sovereign was merely fulfilling their duty.
After a few stern words from Lucien, they reluctantly calmed down and fell back to follow the formation.
Lucien then turned his attention to the grand hall.
By now, the main hall was a chaotic scene. Time itself seemed warped within it.
The nobles of the Night Star Clan appeared terrified, though their words were unintelligible to Lucien.
"The army has been destroyed!"
"Darkness is descending! The stars have abandoned us!"
"We are the children of the stars; why have they forsaken us?"
Their disbelief was palpable.
This seemed to be an echo from a long-lost past.
Lucien gestured for the women to ready themselves as he focused intently on the scene.
Moments later, the assembly underwent a transformation.
The king on the throne, unable to tolerate the nobles' endless bickering, roared in fury and stood up.
"Silence! Fools, all of you!"
"The stars abandoned us long ago!"
He shouted, brandishing a royal sword that he aimed toward the heavens.
"Look for yourselves! The heavens!"
The sky above the city was pitch black. The once-brilliant starlight had vanished, and the celestial bodies that they worshiped were dim and lifeless.
The sun no longer shone.
The moon no longer glowed.
And the heavens descended into chaos.
Darkness loomed, swallowing the world. Despair engulfed the king's voice, and his eyes turned crimson.
"I will venture into the abyss to seek the secrets hidden within the darkness!"
[Entity Identification]
Race: Night Star Clan
Level: 15
Class: Royal Swordsman
"Can this information be verified?" Lucien muttered in surprise.
The scene shifted again.
The nobles began to argue in desperation, but one by one, they were consumed by darkness.
Even the strongest among them—mages, warriors, and unique-class individuals—couldn't resist the infinite void.
The king departed with his sword, stepping into the abyss in search of hope.
When he returned, the doors burst open.
The once-noble monarch emerged, his face twisted in grotesque agony. His flesh melded with a corrupted, blood-soaked blade, and he advanced step by step.
[Entity Identification]
Race: Night Star Clan/Void
Level: 35
Class: Berserker of Flesh
Abilities: ???
"He failed," Lucien sighed, now face to face with the king.
Across a hundred meters, their gazes locked.
Lucien raised his hand calmly.
"Formation—Nine Heavens Divine Bird!"
The command reverberated, and the warriors roared in unison. Their combined energy materialized into a colossal, ethereal bird.
A divine presence swept away the surrounding darkness. The sacred entity dove, unleashing its full might on the king.
The battlefield erupted in chaos.
The king's massive form disintegrated into fragments but began regenerating moments later.
His corrupted flesh grew exponentially, morphing into two massive axes.
His eyes glowed red, radiating fury and despair as he roared.
Charging forward, he became a massive force of destruction, his blood pooling into a bull-shaped aura as he charged like an unstoppable mountain.
This boss was leagues stronger than the earlier general.
Yet, Lucien remained unfazed.
"Mark him," he instructed Qin Keqing, who gripped her Wind and Moon Sword, ensuring the target was locked.
The heroines unleashed a torrent of attacks.
"Nine Absolute Strikes—Split the Heavens!"
"Thunder of Six Peaks—Obey My Command!"
"Binding Spirit Rope—Launch!"
"Celestial Windstorm—Scatter!"
The battlefield was a cacophony of relentless blows—lightning strikes, sword energy, ensnaring ropes, and crimson moonlight.
Lucien watched calmly, unshaken.
The power disparity was vast. The enemy stood no chance.
Even though this boss's individual strength surpassed that of any of Lucien's heroes, no solitary entity could prevail against the combined might of an army under formation.
After a ferocious bombardment, the king's massive frame began to falter. His bloodied body stumbled, his aura weakening.
Finally, the king staggered toward Lucien, wheezing and wielding his enormous blade.
Lucien met the charge head-on, unsheathing his blade with quiet precision.
"Luo…"
"Skyfall Slash."
The blade sang as it cleaved through the king's heart.
A devastating blow of pure, unrelenting power obliterated the king's life force.
The monarch's eyes widened in disbelief. His twisted, bloodied form shuddered violently before collapsing.
"Stars…"
"Foolishness…"
The king's fragmented whispers faded as his body disintegrated into ash, leaving behind a shimmering Kill Box.
Lucien stared at the treasure for a long moment before breaking into a faint smile.
He retrieved the box. At that instant, the dimensional space collapsed, and the group found themselves back in the ruined hall.
A luminous radiance emerged from the throne's location.
This was the final remnant of civilization.