Hero of Darkness

Chapter 1268: The Price of Power

Yesterday morning, on the day of the welcoming celebration for the Hero of Darkness…

The morning dew set upon the aromatic flowers of the grand garden located in the imperial palace glistened with a vibrant hue. The fresh air brought life to the usually melancholic atmosphere of the palace.

Just the night before, the long slumbering emperor had awoken, and in the confines of his trusted people, he chose his successor.

Oedipus Nox Luvian, the Emperor of the Imperial Faction, one of the 3 core forces of the hidden Abyss Empire, still held that title.

In reality, it was a mere title based on the old monarchy hierarchy that no longer held actual weight behind it.

But people still followed it as part of the customs of the empire and showed respect for the history of the empire.

And this morning… the Emperor awoke again, and this time, he felt the weight of his responsibilities finally lifting.

[To think that I’m still alive… It’s a miracle.] thought the old and frail emperor.

There was a time when this man was a towering figure who commanded respect no matter where he went.

He was now 80 years old, and by the world’s standards, as a Peak 7th stage saint, he should live for at least 300 years more.

But due to Soul Dissonance, his core no longer supplied his body with the world energy he had amassed for all this time, and even deprived him of his former strength.

He was now as thin as a brin and looked malnourished to the point his bones became visible through his wrinkled skin.

[If only I hadn’t relied on that technique used by the original imperial family. It was supposed to be an experiment by that damn emperor 600 years ago.

While it was not as lethal as trying to harness the longevity of the Vampire race… the rise in strength in mere decades has taken its toll.

If my father hadn’t failed and my brother hadn’t tried to kill me for the throne… I wouldn’t have had to resort to using that technique.

I would be happy to be a mere 3rd-stage saint, as I was 50 years ago. That way, I would have lived for at least a century more.

But now… all I could do was wish for a quiet and peaceful death.] thought Oedipus.

[My heirs followed the same techniques to increase their strength. But as long as they don’t become a Peak 7th-stage saint and challenge the constraints of this realm to become an 8th-stage saint… our reign shall continue even after I’m gone.] he thought with a defeated expression.

Oedipus then looked around the royal bed chamber and felt incredibly alone at this moment. None of his wives or children was here at this moment.

At one of the most crucial moments of his life, there was not a single person who wished him well or was genuinely happy that he had finally awoken from what felt like a suffocating prison to him.

[I spent an entire lifetime righting the wrongs of my father and the rest of the imperial family.

I became the kind of man I used to despise before, and now… I don’t even feel like I deserve a peaceful passing.

Wealth, power, honor, and dominance come at the cost of losing your own sense of happiness, morality, and peace.

Even a farmer on his deathbed, surrounded by his family and friends, is far luckier than me it seems.] thought the emperor with a nostalgic expression.

His mind recounted the kind of life he lives. And yet, he barely felt proud of it.

Tap!

Tap!

“His Highness, the Crown Prince, wishes an audience with you, Your Majesty.” announced a royal guard from outside the door.

“Let him enter.” commanded the frail emperor after gathering a lot of strength to respond loudly.

The 3rd Prince… Valius Nox Luvian, who was now the official successor to the throne, entered the royal chambers.

“You may leave us alone,” he ordered the royal guards.

Step!

Step!

The royal guards quickly dispersed themselves without even awaiting the orders of the emperor.

“What is it, my son?” asked the emperor.

The tall frame of a black-haired and blue-eyed man in his 30s, just like Kahn, walked close and sat on the side of the bed.

“I wanted to thank you for your decision last night. I do admit that the succession war was indeed bloody, but going forward, I shall make sure that the Imperial Family thrives and makes up for the losses.” spoke Valius with a firm tone.

“It was unavoidable. It happens in every generation. I was a survivor of such a purge myself.

So I do not blame you. We are all sinners here.” spoke the emperor.

He felt no need to hold a fake facade and act all high and mighty in front of his son.

“I chose you because you were the strongest but also the most cunning of them all.

That much is required to shoulder the responsibilities as the Emperor,” he iterated as if passing a torch of tradition.

But it was right then…

“However… there is something that I completely disagree with, Lord Father,” said Valius with a stern voice.

“You ordered us to be compliant and be cooperative with the Cult of Darkborne and the Hero of Darkness, who will come today.

That I cannot agree with,” spoke the Crown Prince with a serious tone.

“What?! Why?” asked the emperor with a shocked countenance.

“Since childhood to now… I have suffered and bled to be where I am. I spent my whole life to be worthy to become your successor.

And now that I’m destined to be the next ruler…” spoke Valius as his eyes turned cold.

“I will not bow before anyone else! Whether it’s the cult, some hero, or even the senate.

I will finish what my grandfather failed to do. Once we leave this godforsaken realm and return to our original empire… I will make my moves and eventually take over.” he declared with pride.

“Why the hell did the 9th Hero of Darkness have to emerge during my era? I was so close to achieving my goals.

All I needed was a decade more to realize my dream. But alas, I shall not give up on it just because you asked me to.” he spoke and glared at the emperor.

“You are the only one who can annul my ascension as the next emperor. And for the sake of my dream…” spoke Valius, his eyes turning bloodshot red.

He quickly lunged towards the emperor and started choking him.

“You need to die, Father!”

The emperor struggled and wailed. But his flailing body could not even resist, as not a single royal guard showed up.

There were countermeasures to protect the emperor’s life, but not a single one of them worked.

“Why? Wondering why no one has shown up yet?” asked Valius with a malevolent smile.

“Whether it’s the Royal Advisor, the Minister, the Nobles, and even the Royal Guards… I have been either gathering them on my side or eliminating your previous loyalists for the past year.

You didn’t even remember who your royal guards were. They have all been replaced by my loyal pets over all this time.

So no one will come and save you now, fathe.” he spoke with a menacing tone.

Oedipus, the man who lost himself under the weight of responsibilities that came with the crown… saw his son’s greedy expression.

Power had corrupted him already, and there was nothing he could do to reverse his decision.

Snap!

With trembling hands and deep regret, the emperor lost his life as Valius snapped his neck.

Yet his eyes still revealed the expression of both betrayal… and regret.

Tap!

Tap!

Soon, the royal healer and the guards returned.

“Seal the room and let no one enter. Say that the emperor needs time to recover.”

His gaze then turned around at the guards as he made a command.

“Erase my marks and make it look like he passed away naturally,” said Valius as he looked at the healer.

The guards nodded and got to work.

“Now, all that is left to do is attend the ceremony and make it look like he passed by midnight.

As for the Hero of Darkness…” said Valius with a content expression.

“I’ll see if he’s worth keeping alive.”