Long time no see, George (previous chapter revised)

West Borough, Anniversary Square.

"... This despicable and barbaric enemy attempts to defeat us, seize our land, plunder our wealth, and enslave our children... We will never allow it!"

"... It's a pity that so many young lives were sacrificed to defend our sacred country, their blood forever spilled on the land they loved..."

On the high platform, George III, dressed in military uniform, with a stern and solemn appearance and a small mustache, was addressing his people. His voice was extremely infectious, and with the waving of his arms, it seemed as if the power of his words was being transmitted to the hearts of everyone present.

At the edge of the Square, a man's attention was not on the king on the high platform. Instead, he was looking down at a strange little Mirror, seemingly out of his mind, and talking incessantly to the Mirror.

"Tell me, Arrodes,"

Using Psychological Invisibility to completely erase his presence, Luther asked the Magic Mirror, "Is the George III before me the real person?"

His face was contorted with intense anger, and his eyes were icy cold.

In order to stop George III's Advancement Ritual, he abandoned the effort to save his fellow countrymen who had traveled through time; one can imagine how terrible he must have felt at that moment.

Based on his abilities related to the "Shepherd," Luther had roughly concluded that the king before him was merely a false shell, but to confirm his judgment, he needed another piece of evidence.

"My esteemed master... you are absolutely right..."

The writing on the Mirror's surface was deathly pale, as if the Magic Mirror Arrodes was filled with immense fear. "And where is his true form now?"

Luther pressed on without any hesitation.

"Great master... I dare not..."

"Shut up, I don't have time for any more nonsense... I'm telling you, Klein has been captured by Amon. If you want me to rescue him sooner, you'd better tell me the truth!"

Luther said coldly, squeezing the Mirror so hard it made a cracking sound.

"!!!!"

Upon hearing this, the water on the mirror surface shimmered intensely.

"Honorable master, please save him!"

"That depends on whether you help or not."

Luther threatened.

Soon after, Arrodes, as if he had gone all out, displayed a long string of orange text. "George III is no longer in the realm of perception; his Spirituality has been greatly enhanced, and he has entered a strange state... We have reason to believe that he is attempting to reach a higher level..."

Meanwhile, in the center of the Square.

Audrey Hall stood with her father, mother, and eldest brother in the closest position to the king, Listening to his speech.

What an incredibly moving expression!

Knowing the truth behind the outbreak of war, a complex expression appeared in her eyes.

A faint sob could be heard behind them, and more and more people were affected by the speech. George III's words evoked memories of their own experiences, making them empathize with him. The people's emotions intertwined, creating a tremendous resonance.

The king's speech was feigned emotion, but the crowd's sorrow was genuine...

As an extraordinary being through the "Spectator" Pathway, Audrey perceived all of this more clearly than anyone else.

She felt as if she had split into two parts: one part was indifferent and detached, floating high above, analyzing the psychological changes of everyone present with clarity and rationality; the other part was immersed in the collective resonance, her eyes slightly red.

At that moment, George III finished the first part of his speech, looked down at the crowd, and said:

"Let us observe a moment of silence for our heroes. Ladies and gentlemen, and in your hearts, repeat after me: In the name of King George III, may the spirits of the fallen find peace, and may they live forever in the land of their God."

These words carried an indescribable air of authority, causing all the listeners, including Audrey, to involuntarily lower their heads, clasp their hands, and silently recite:

The first update is on suduɡu. cc, with no typos. If you don't see the ". cc" suffix in the address, you'll be taken to the first update site. "In the name of Emperor George III..."

The entire Square fell silent instantly, and people were immersed in the atmosphere.

Throughout the nation, all citizens Listening the broadcast were moved by George III's words, bowing their heads in prayer for the fallen heroes under the guidance of his authoritative and unquestionable voice. At least for that moment, almost the entire nation obeyed the Emperor's decree and participated in a ritual.

Then an untimely voice suddenly broke the silence.

"Ha, in your name?"

In the ensuing silence, someone sneered in response, "Then they probably won't even find peace after death."

The sound was incredibly piercing, echoing throughout the Square and clearly reaching the ears of every listener.

"!!"

People opened their eyes in surprise, and all Consciousness turned their heads to look in the direction from which the sound came.

Suddenly, at the edge of the Square, an unexpected guest appeared. He was a young man with black hair, an almost unnaturally handsome face, and a pair of azure eyes like lakes, their depths containing an unyielding, dark light.

He was draped in a bright red robe, its color thick and bloody, while the shadow beneath him was dark and heavy, brimming with endless Curse and Degeneration.

Handsome, eerie, insane, Distortion! The man attracted everyone's attention simply by standing there. His shadow Abyssal, like Abyss that drew people's gazes, making it impossible for them to look away for even a moment.

"Blood Bishop-- "

A few seconds later, someone finally reacted, screaming in terror through a hoarse voice, "The Blood Bishop is here!!"

His attire was very refined, suggesting he was an upper-class nobleman. Judging from his appearance, it seemed he had encountered the [Blood Bishop] on the Year-End Day, leaving him with psychological trauma.

"Boom!"

The crowd stirred immediately. No one paid attention to what the king had said anymore; instead, they stared in horror at the legendary most notorious Criminal in the kingdom. Those near him began to move away, trying to avoid him, but some women, attracted by his excessively handsome face, refused to leave.

"Long time no see, shit George."

Across the crowded throng, Luther looked at George Augustus III, dressed in a crisp military uniform, on the platform, his voice icy, "No, perhaps it would be better to call you a false shell?"

[Temperance] Sir!

Audrey stared at the blood-red figure, her beautiful emerald green eyes widening instantly.

Although she had been prepared, seeing the other party appear so openly at the king's speech still stirred up a great deal of emotion within her.

What is Master [Temperance] planning this time? Is he about to officially declare war on His Majesty...?

As the atmosphere grew increasingly chaotic, various thoughts kept popping into Audrey's mind.

"Everyone, calm down."

Just then, the king on the high platform spoke. His voice was full of authority, and with just one sentence, the atmosphere in the room calmed down, "This is nothing but a bandit who attempted to disrupt the Order of Loen; our valiant soldiers will soon be able to subdue him."

"Brush!"

As George III finished speaking, Luther felt a powerful force press down on him, suppressing his movements. Invisible rules spread throughout his body, inhibiting his Beyonder Ability.

"Someone extraordinary is suppressing my power... Is it because they don't want to expose themselves to the public..."

He thought to himself.

"Thump thump thump!"

A series of neat and powerful footsteps rushed towards him; it was Loen soldiers carrying High-Pressure Steam Rifle, charging towards him!