"You did the right thing, son."
Admiral Zach spoke, his tone stiff but not unkind. He wanted to place his hand on Rey's shoulder, but a single glare from the latter made him stop midway.
Rey didn't respond to his words.
He didn't feel like he'd done the right thing at all. He turned back into his room, closing the door behind him.
Seraph stood there, her golden eyes calm and steady.
"You didn't hesitate," she said softly.
Rey looked at her, his jaw clenched.
"Don't mistake my actions for trust. This isn't over."
Seraph smiled faintly, her expression unreadable.
"No, it isn't."
********
The following weeks were a blur of battles, relentless grinding, and an ever-growing sense of purpose. Rey pushed himself to the limit, taking down base after base belonging to the Dragon Emperor's forces.
Each encounter sharpened his skills and raised his Level, steadily improving his stats and his understanding of the Emperor's network.
The Resistance, meanwhile, worked tirelessly to regroup.
Messages were sent to every single outpost, recalling operatives from all corners of the world. Soldiers, technicians, and strategists all returned to HQ, bringing with them the fractured remnants of humanity's last hope.
Their collective goal was simple: prepare for one grand assault to reclaim the Production Zone and push onward to the Dragon Emperor's Final Stronghold.
Despite the mounting progress, there was a shadow hanging over the Resistance. Angie, once their trusted leader, was now locked in the most secure facility in the building, cut off from everyone.
Rey tried not to think about her too much, but her betrayal—and the circumstances surrounding it—still haunted him. Seraph's claims, Angie's words, and the events of that night replayed in his mind more often than he cared to admit.
By the time a month had passed, Rey's efforts had borne significant fruit.
His raids had crippled the Emperor's supply lines and scattered his forces.
The Resistance's operatives grew more confident as victories began to pile up, small as they were. Now, the culmination of all their efforts had brought them to this day.
Rey sat among the crowd of gathered Resistance fighters in the massive briefing hall, the room buzzing with anticipation. The walls were lined with maps, diagrams, and holographic displays showing their next target: the Production Zone.
Admiral Zach stood at the podium, his presence commanding as he addressed the assembly.
"Today, we stand on the precipice of a turning point. Thanks to your hard work, we have weakened the Dragon Emperor's grip on this world. Our combined strength will carry us to victory, but the next step is critical. The Production Zone is the heart of his war machine. If we take it, we deal a devastating blow to his forces. And from there, we march to his Final Stronghold."
Cheers erupted from the crowd, but Zach held up a hand for silence. "There is one among us whose contributions have been pivotal to our success. Without his efforts, we wouldn't be here today."
Zach's eyes swept over the crowd before landing on Rey.
"Rey Skylar. The strongest among us. The man who has led countless strikes against the Emperor's bases. Today, we ask him to lead us into this crucial battle."
The room exploded in applause and cheers as Zach motioned for Rey to join him on the stage.
Rey rose from his seat, his expression neutral despite the roar of approval around him. He climbed the steps to the podium, his presence commanding attention as he stood before the assembled fighters.
He took a deep breath, scanning the room.
"You all know who I am," he began, his voice steady but firm. "But I'm not here as some hero or savior. I'm just a guy who wants to see this nightmare end."
The crowd quieted, hanging on his words.
"We've all lost something in this war," Rey continued. "Friends, family, homes. We've fought, bled, and sacrificed more than anyone should ever have to. And yet, here we are—standing together, refusing to give up."
He clenched his fist, his voice rising. "The Dragon Emperor thought he could break us. He thought he could grind us into submission. But we've shown him that humanity doesn't back down. We fight. We endure. And now, we strike back."
A ripple of energy passed through the crowd as murmurs of agreement filled the air.
"In the coming days," Rey said, his gaze sweeping across the room, "we're going to take down the Production Zone. We're going to destroy the heart of his war machine. And when we're done, we're going to march to his Final Stronghold and end this war once and for all."
The room erupted into cheers, the fighters rising to their feet in a wave of support.
Rey stepped back from the podium, his expression calm but resolute as the crowd roared around him. This was it—the beginning of the end.
And he would see it through to the very last battle.
[STATUS WINDOW]
- Name: Rey Skylar
- Race: Human
- Class: Singularity
- Level: 201 (23.18% EXP)
- Life Force: 1,510
- Mana Level: 15,000
- Combat Ability: 7,000
- Stat Points: 9,000
- Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]
- Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Absolute Magic Application]. [Absolute Magic Application]. [Grand Combat Application]. [Grand Weapon Mastery]. [Grand Battle Aura]. [Grand Battle Sense]. [Grand Mana Recovery]. [Grand Health Recovery]. [Perfect Calm].
- Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
[Additional Information]
Unknown… no information has been provided.
[End Of Information]
*************
[Later That Day]
"What now?"
The voice of a certain man echoed in a room as he knelt before a woman, his body trembling under her mighty pressure.
"I've done all you've asked, and tomorrow is the day it all begins… but will this really work? What happens after all thi—?"
"Leave that to me." The feminine voice, angelic and pure, echoed in the room.
Her bright light revealed her face to be Seraph, and the man kneeling before her to be nothing but Admiral Zach Skylar.
"Your wife and children will be safe, don't worry… they won't die for your betrayal of the Dragon Emperor." She smiled. "And as for you, you can be the ruler of Earth once this is all over and the Emperor is gone."
"R-really?"
"Yes. All that needs to happen are two things: the eviction of the Dragon Emperor… and the death of Rey Skylar."