According to people's understanding, Catastrophe are abnormal natural calamities that are beyond human control.
But Terra's Catastrophe are far more complex than that. Research has shown that their formation is directly related to Originium.
Researchers categorize Catastrophe into three main types.
The first type is the Originium natural disaster.
Such Catastrophe often change with the local environment. Blizzards in snowfields and sandstorms in deserts are all natural activities of Catastrophe, but Originium exacerbates the intensity of the disaster.
The second type is the Originium Sinking Catastrophe.
As the name suggests, excessive accumulation of Originium particles in the atmosphere condenses into large, active Originium clouds. Once these clouds reach a certain size, they will fall as massive aggregates of Originium.
These kinds of Catastrophe are also seen as treasures by many, as the activated Originium crystals themselves are excellent energy sources.
The third type is cumulative Catastrophe.
The formation process of this Catastrophe has not yet been fully studied, and researchers can only have a vague understanding of it.
When a large amount of Originium material is piled up in one place, it will generate an unknown energy field after being stimulated, thus causing special Catastrophe.
The current saying that "Catastrophe chase after cities" is based on the findings of this research.
So, what kind of Catastrophe are gathering over Kazdel now?
"Data anomaly... Originium settling anomaly... And what the heck is this vortex!?"
At monitoring stations across the country, staff members are constantly reporting data.
Common Catastrophe have a gathering warning signal. Monitoring stations predict the location of the disaster based on the activity of Originium particles and dispatch Catastrophe Messenger to notify cities to take precautions.
The location of this Catastrophe was not covered by the Contingency Contract, so they shouldn't be in a hurry.
Typhoon-style Catastrophe...
This type of Catastrophe falls under the first category, but its impact today is far too vast.
Centered on an unknown area within Kazdel, a cloud of Originium gas, spanning the entire Kazdel and affecting surrounding regions, is constantly rotating and contracting.
Due to its vast area, the damage caused by the Originium Cloud is not considered severe; only a few areas will experience minor Catastrophe.
As if summoned, the Catastrophe Clouds merely tossed down Originium wherever they passed, continuing their advance towards Kazdel.
That's why Catastrophe observers can't understand it.
"The surrounding Catastrophe clouds are converging on Kazdel, the Catastrophe... are migrating!?"
"An unusual energy field has also been detected over Iberia, but it doesn't seem to be integrated with this natural Catastrophe."
"Forget about Iberia! First, calculate the convergence point of this Catastrophe!"
While the surrounding observation stations were overwhelmed with the accumulated Catastrophe, Kazdel also noticed something amiss.
"Doctor, this is the latest data from the observatory; Catastrophe is coming."
Pith handed over the documents, which the Doctor continued to add as he flipped through them.
"A Catastrophe cloud has been detected moving from the direction of Rem Billiton. The observation team has set out and is attempting to monitor the direction of the Catastrophe's movement."
The process was familiar and quite experienced.
In Kazdel, a place prone to Catastrophe, Babel Tower clearly has a familiar response process.
Following established practice, an order should be given to gather civilians and begin the ship's relocation.
But...
"The data is incorrect." The Doctor put down the file.
"Indeed, the scope has reached the scale of a large-scale Catastrophe, but the intensity is only medium or even small."
Pith nodded in agreement.
"But rest assured, for safety reasons, observation teams have also been dispatched in other directions, and results will be available soon."
There was no response. The Doctor took out a piece of white paper and began to calculate, his brows furrowing more and more tightly behind the mask.
"Pith, check other directions! The Catastrophe's trajectory is abnormal... It's not a natural Catastrophe!"
You mean...?
Bang--!
The door was pushed open, and an agent rushed in, panting and holding documents.
"Captain, Captain! There are so many... so many Catastrophe!"
A piercing alarm sounded, and the operators skillfully organized the evacuation of civilians into the ship.
The camp was packed up, resources were relocated, and Rhodes Island's reactors roared to life once more, as the massive ship began to move.
Meanwhile, the Elite Operator who received the message had already gathered in the conference room.
"Raidian, notify the other branches to prepare their camps and send Rhodes Island's advance route so that all advance teams can rendezvous with Rhodes Island."
"Learn."
To facilitate Raidian's operations and communications, Pith explained the unusual situation of this Catastrophe to the assembled operators on behalf of the Doctor.
"A massive Catastrophe is closing in on Kazdel from all sides? Is the entire territory going to be plowed up?"
Mechanist was incredulous. Everything had been normal these past few days, so why was Kazdel suddenly going to be destroyed?
"No, the situation isn't that serious yet," the Doctor explained.
"Initially, the Catastrophe cloud will cause some Catastrophe due to its unstable nature. After it stabilizes, it will move closer together and form a super-large Catastrophe cloud at the center of the convergence."
The Elite Operator quickly grasped the situation; the seemingly alarming coverage area actually didn't suffer much damage.
"So, as long as we predict the convergence point of the Catastrophe clouds and then avoid them, we can be fine?"
Outcast took a lollipop and put it in his mouth, saying indistinctly:
"So this time, the plan is to organize the evacuation of local civilians?"
After saying that, Outcast shook his head again.
No, it's just that there's no need to hold an emergency meeting at this level, and Elite Operator wouldn't gather here anyway.
Where do Catastrophe converge?
The Assassin's keen senses alerted Misery to something amiss.
"Kazdel."
"..."xN
The Elite Operator fell silent, then erupted in an uproar.
The Doctor couldn't possibly be referring to the entire territory as Kazdel, so there must only be one target.
Kazdel's only Mobile City, the land of the Demon King.
"Your Highness, what about communications? Is Your Highness aware of the impending Catastrophe?"
"We can't get in touch with them; they're too far away. The Catastrophe has started interfering with the signal."
"What about the repair of the Dead Soul Furnace? Is Kazdel movable now? Or is it too late to start it?"
Contrary to expectations, the Elite Operator's communication was quite chaotic, yet they quickly grasped the key information.
I. The last communication with the Demon King Theresa was three days ago. The Demon King herself entered the furnace to appease the Dead Souls, and her current situation is unknown.
Second, the Catastrophe will gather within 24 hours. If you do not evacuate within the specified time, Kazdel will be destroyed by the Catastrophe.
Third, Rhodes Island's main ship is not fast enough to arrive within the stipulated time, and it is unknown whether the furnace has been activated. In the worst-case scenario, Kazdel has not yet regained power.
"Isn't this the end for us?!"
Mechanist clutched his head, the indicator lights on his helmet flashing rapidly.
"Where's Pith? Aren't you supposed to control Catastrophe? Help us!"
"Don't ask the impossible! It can only temporarily halt small-scale natural Catastrophe; how can we stop Catastrophe of this scale?!"
As the group engaged in a heated discussion, Whitcsmith looked worriedly at the Doctor who was at the center of the discussion.
In the past, on such occasions, it was always His Highness or the Doctor spoke and coordinated the voices. Why is it that now...?
At this moment, the Doctor, in the same silent pose as Commander Ikari, is having an internal struggle.
His rational mind told him that a natural Catastrophe of this scale could not possibly have occurred naturally; the cause of this situation must have been her awakening.
But she shouldn't have woken up at this time, and I'm not ready to communicate with her right now.
Priestess...
"Doctor."
At a call, the Doctor looked up.
Worry, doubt, determination, trust... The Elite Operator all focused their attention on one point, awaiting his command.
"Pith, after Raidian completes the communication, you will assist him in continuing to try to contact Kazdel."
"Learn!"
"Whitcsmith, you are in charge of the subsequent evacuation and regrouping of civilians. Misery and Ascalon will be responsible for maintaining stability on board. If spies are discovered, they are authorized to be killed on the spot."
"Understood." x3
"Closure, immediately consolidate the total available energy in the warehouses, leaving enough for the minimum needs of Rhodes Island's operations. Pack the rest into crates and prepare to ship them to Kazdel."
"Leave it to me!"
"Mechanist..."
The series of instructions left the Doctor slightly out of breath. He looked at the last person and said seriously:
"Can the Engineering Department manufacture a vehicle that is fast enough within 4 hours?"
With all eyes on him, the Mechanist, feeling immense pressure, clenched his fists and ultimately had no choice but to tell the truth.
"It's impossible... The Bad Guy has already been taken away by His Highness. The remaining vehicles might be able to make it in time after modifications."
"But carrying the energy source that powers Kazdel's movement would exceed the weight limit, making it impossible to arrive within the stipulated time..."
The atmosphere was tense, and everyone's disappointment was palpable. The Mechanist gritted his teeth and said:
"If Logos had a spell to reduce its weight, maybe we could give it a shot!"
Everyone's faces lit up with joy as they looked at the Banshee who never disappointed.
Logos, who had remained silent throughout, shook his head and twirled the Bone Pen under the disappointed gazes of the crowd.
"Vehicles with sufficient carrying capacity and the ability to move at high speeds... the Babel Tower certainly didn't have them, but that doesn't mean they didn't exist outside of the Babel Tower."
"An emergency request?"
Unable to resist the mercenaries' pleas, Vera followed them to the infirmary, even though she knew it was futile, hoping to receive treatment with medication.
But shortly after taking the medication to treat the headache, a group of Elite Operator broke down the door and stormed in.
After a brief and quick explanation, Vera understood the situation.
"So, Babel Tower is going to entrust us with transporting that energy to Kazdel using Berserk Boar?"
"Yes, the situation is urgent, and only your mounts have sufficient carrying capacity and efficient mobility."
Mechanist stepped forward and bowed, his usually proud skills now useless, a mix of guilt and anxiety welling up inside him.
"Please! The Babel Tower is willing to pay any price!"
"... What about the time? What's the time limit?"
Vera did not rashly agree; she was not prepared to gamble with the lives of her mercenaries.
"12 hours, ideally arriving within 12 hours, and allowing at least four hours for refueling."
The distance map was sent to Hedley, and after a brief calculation, Hedley nodded to Vera.
"We've accepted. Once the goods are loaded, we're ready to depart at any time."
The team members breathed a sigh of relief and expressed their gratitude once again.
"Thank you... Closure and Logos will accompany you, responsible for energy replenishment and protection."
"Forget the empty thanks, the situation is urgent, isn't it? Let's wait outside."
The moment the order was given, the jovial mercenaries fell silent and became solemn.
Donning black armor, loading weapons.
Now that Vera has accepted the Babel Tower's commission, the mercenaries will not allow her to lose face in front of the Babel Tower.
"Wis'adel, pull Little Black and Lucky out of the Engineering Department."
Wis'adel immediately turned toward the Engineering Department, Hedley approached Vera and asked in a low voice.
Are you alright?
"... It's just background noise, you'll get used to it."
Vera shook her head vigorously and let out a long sigh of relief.
The roars of the All Souls did not cease; they grew increasingly intense, and began to be mixed with wails.
The abnormality of the All Souls and the strange Catastrophe had not yet reached Kazdel, but Vera had already sensed the impending conflict.
This time, even Vane, who was well-versed in the plot, had no idea what had happened.
Is the butterfly effect caused by us?
Vera leaped onto her mount and gazed at the increasingly gloomy sky.
Did we bring about this Catastrophe?
Yes and no.
Gazing at the increasingly gloomy clouds above Kazdel, the Confessarius provided the answer.
"After the initial Catastrophe, All Souls were born, inextricably linking the Originium with the fate of the Sarkaz."
"Everyone believes that the Sarkaz are driven by the All Souls to seek revenge, and that they control the Sarkaz's destiny, but this statement is not entirely accurate."
"The influence is mutual; the Sarkaz, Originium, All Souls... these three can interfere with each other."
"I have no interest in hearing your academic research, Qaisatusta."
As he swirled the wine glass in his hand, the Vampire narrowed his eyes, and a thick, pungent smell of blood filled the air.
"If influencing the Dead Souls could trigger Catastrophe, then we wouldn't have lost thousands of battles so miserably."
"... Of course, Mr. Ducare."
Qaisatusta smiled politely, completely oblivious to the murderous intent that permeated the surroundings.
"Dead Souls are merely bridges connecting All Souls; Sacrifice ordinary Sarkaz alone will indeed yield little result. But who can blame us when our Demon Lord has walked right into our trap?"
"..." Ducare was speechless for a moment.
When he received the invitation to Kazdel, what was originally just an experiment to influence the All Souls turned into a much larger undertaking due to a series of coincidences.
The Sarkaz in the city of Sacrifice communicate with the All Souls through the special properties of the Dead Souls, and then influence Catastrophe through the unique location of the All Souls in the Originium Sea.
It succeeded, and it failed.
Qaisatusta did indeed influence the All Souls, but All Souls refused to obey his commands, even though their current souls were those of the former Demon King.
The Demon King's Black Crown... The Demon King's Black Crown!
Qaisatusta knew he lacked the necessary conditions.
The experiment could not be completed, but due to Scar Eye's prophecy, he needed to wait here for the target to appear.
As if by divine intervention, before Shining and his companion arrived, Qaisatusta encountered the Babel Tower's scouting party.
Control them and lure the Demon King into your trap.
Qaisatusta secured the Vampire Lord's support by agreeing that if he did not gain the Crown's approval, Ducare would destroy Crown.
With unbelievable ease, the Demon King was easily tricked into entering the furnace, which served as an altar.
"How did you manage to deceive the Crown's senses?"
Ducare couldn't understand as he watched the demon king inside the furnace continuously resisting the altar with magic.
Crown should be able to sense the emotions of those around him; this scam should never have succeeded in the first place.
"I didn't lie to Crown; those were all the accomplices' own thoughts."
Qaisatusta smiled warmly, but his words sent chills down one's spine.
"Did you know that the human brain is very complex? With just a few minor surgeries and some barely perceptible magic, one's entire perception can be altered."
With a sneer, Ducare dismissed this unorthodox technology with disdain.
"Only you would bother with such useless things. You should use that extra energy to build more Chimera."
(Chimera: In general, Chimera refers to a chimera with physical characteristics of different races. The Chimera here is a twisted monster created by the Confessarius by fusing different Royal Court bloodlines.)
"If you can persuade the Shapeshifter to provide more of their body tissue, the creation of the Chimera will go much more smoothly."
Despite repeated provocations being met with mild responses, Ducare's murderous intent remained undiminished.
A false king yearning to regain the Crown's recognition, a kingslayer who single-handedly slays the demon king.
Given their opposing identities, it's likely that they will turn against each other instantly once the Crown is removed from the Demon King's possession.
The atmosphere fell silent for a moment as the two gazed at the demon king within the furnace.
How beautiful it is!
Seeing the Crown that appeared in Theresa's hand, Qaisatusta slowly reached out.
He once owned it, spent a wonderful time with it, but ultimately lost it.
The White-Horned Demon King understood as the power was stripped from his body along with the Crown.
No matter how you try to manipulate time, it will never stand still for you.
He will die, the city he built will collapse, and the people he loves will have to continue to be displaced.
Thus, the White-Horned Demon King chose to prolong his life in a despicable way, attempting to become the eternal Demon King of Sarkaz.
But when pure will is mixed with greed, the Crown will no longer linger for it.
One generation after another... one generation after another...
Is the one standing before the furnace now truly the same Demon King who was once hailed as a hero?
Sizzle--!!!
The moment his fingers touched the furnace, a burst of dark lightning erupted, smashing Qaisatusta's hand into a pile of minced meat.
The current Demon King, attempting to kill the rebels outside the Forge, finds his spells, capable of easily destroying an entire city block, largely ineffective against the layers of weakening at the altar.
"How did you set up an altar of this scale in such a short time?"
Ducare looked down; the furnace was merely the center of the altar, the true altar being the entire city beneath his feet.
"It's not a setup, it's just a restart."
Under the radiance of the spell, the damaged hand rapidly healed, Qaisatusta said with pleasure:
"In the war that gave birth to the six heroes, the allied forces pushed Kazdel to its last stand. His Highness had no choice but to turn the battlefield into an altar with the Banshee, using the flesh and blood of his fallen comrades to unleash war magic."
Finally, with the addition of General Theresis's beheading, the allied forces were utterly defeated.
"It was there that Kazdel's first Mobile City was built."
Qaisatusta opened his arms, as if in a poet's lament.
"Your Highness... just like the fate of every demon king, you Sacrifice the flesh and blood of your kin to defeat the allied forces, and now you too will be Sacrifice to return to the All Souls."
"To save the Sarkaz, and then be devoured by Sarkaz —this is the fate of the Demon King!"
Bang--!
Before the gunshots rang out, there was the clash of swords. Time seemed to slow down around Qaisatusta, allowing him to draw his sword and deflect the bullets.
Squinting at the direction from which the bullets had come, Qaisatusta took his leave of the Vampire Lord.
"We'll leave this place to Your Majesty to guard; we'll go deal with the escaped little mice."
Ducare didn't respond, pondering the strange feeling he'd just experienced.
The Demon King who toyed with time—that was his former title.
In retrospect, it was nothing more than a false claim; it was more about manipulating the perception of time than about playing with it.
Keeping this information in mind, Ducare was far less arrogant than outsiders perceived him to be.
The more you know, the greater your chances of winning if things turn sour later.
A crazed, Dead Souls crashed into Ducare at the edge of the altar, only to wail in agony before the altar's backlash.
If even the Dead Souls without bodies suffer so much, how much more so must a demon king with a physical body endure?
Ducare looked at Theresa, a strange sense of unease rising within him.
He should be used to the death of the Demon King by now...
He killed his brother with his own hands, Elesh was also driven to his death by him.
But looking at Theresa, whose power was being continuously devoured by the altar, Ducare felt a strange sense of...
Regret...
To be fair, Theresa's achievements as the Demon King are enough to convince everyone.
They saved the nation from imminent peril and, over the next century, built Kazdel into a hub of industry, healthcare, and education.
Even if the level of development is not high, the leap from 0 to 1 is not something anyone can deny.
Unfortunately...
"If only you Sarkaz."
Inside the furnace, Theresa, enveloped by countless frenzied Dead Souls, still maintained that compassionate demeanor.
The Demon King's love was so vast that the Sarkaz under his protection were filled with jealousy.
"What a pity, Your Highness..."
Ducare raised his glass, savoring the blood that no longer tasted delicious.
It's better for the Demon King to be killed by the Catastrophe than to die at the hands of the Flame Demon, who also took his Crown.
The Demon King remained silent in the face of the rebels' sighs.
Ducare was absolutely certain that Theresa had her own consciousness.
Does not respond mean indifference? Or is it an attempt to preserve one's own power?
It's meaningless; returning to the All Souls might be hard to accept, but it's still better than experiencing pain in the furnace.
"..."
What are you waiting for?
Crushing the glass in his hand, Ducare turned and left.
Now, who can save you...?
"Are you ready!?"
Vera turned around and Closure, who had finished loading the cargo, into the back seat.
"Yes, boss!"
"Let's go!"
The Berserk Boar strode forward, and with a thunderous rumble, Golden Storm arose.
"Target... Kazdel!"