abnabooks Chapter 268: Metamorphosis
Chapter 268: Metamorphosis
The Sky Above Gale City.
Skele-Greed stood at the precipice of the "Celestial Stage"—a floating monument
of obsidian and glass that had taken three days of non-stop labor to complete.
He looked down at the staggering density of the crowds below.
Gale City had been utterly transformed. Its original tactical battlements had
been dismantled, replaced by concentric rings of tiered seating that spiraled
from the earth up into the high atmosphere. Every level was supported by
permanent Mana-suspension arrays, creating a gargantuan circular amphitheater.
At the literal center of this architectural madness was Greed's masterpiece: the
floating stage.
The seating was already filled to capacity. It was a literal ocean of sentient
life. Greed performed a rapid mental calculation: the amphitheater within the
city limits alone housed over fifty million people. On the surrounding prairies,
hundreds of millions more were gathered around colossal magical projections
maintained by the Arcane Legion.
"Statistically insane," Greed murmured to himself. He had never conceptualized
that a single ceremony could mobilize such a percentage of the global
population.
The entirety of the Evernight Empire was present. Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs,
Succubi, Lizard-folk, Dark Elves... They were packed into the stands, their eyes
reflecting the shimmering light of the Mana-veins beneath the floor.
"General Greed."
A Vampire from the State Army approached, offering a crisp bow. "The Sovereign's
carriage is approaching the event horizon. Please ensure the final
stabilization."
Greed gave a sharp nod. He smoothed the front of his formal tuxedo—not a single
wrinkle was permitted to exist. As the architect and host of this Grand
Decoration Ceremony, he would not allow a single logic error.
"Notify all Legions: Execute Phase One."
"As commanded!"
As the officer departed, Greed looked out over the human sea once more. The air
was thick—saturated with an overwhelming surge of communal Od. The excitement
was so palpable it was almost a physical weight. These people weren't just
waiting for a King; they were waiting for a God.
In the front-row sections—seats that had cost several hundred gold coins
each—Hans the Merchant sat with the children of the Sunflower Home. The view
was peerless, offering a direct line of sight to the central dais.
"Hans! Look! The stage is moving!" Lily shrieked with delight, tugging on Hans's
sleeve until the fabric strained. Her face was flushed a vivid pink. "It's
flying in the sky! How does it stay up there?!"
Hans ruffled her hair with a chuckle. "That's Mana-suspension, Lily. High-tier
engineering."
"Mana?" Lily blinked. "Can I learn to make houses fly, too?"
"If you apply yourself at the Academy, you can make an entire city fly and plant
it full of sunflowers if you wish."
Lily nodded solemnly, her small fists clenching as she visualized her future
floral kingdom.
On the other side of the row, Sinclair and Tat were engaged in a fierce tactical
debate over a piece of jerky. "The last piece is mine! You changed your gesture
from 'Paper' to 'Scissors' a half-beat too late!"
"Liar! My Scissors were absolute! Your ocular sensors are misaligned!"
Mig ignored the bickering. He was hunched over a notebook, staring at the
floating stage with a terrifyingly serious intensity.
"Mig, what are you logging?" Hans asked, curious.
"The structural load-bearing points," Mig replied without looking up. "The
design of these suspension arrays is elegant. I'm trying to reverse-engineer the
stabilization coefficients. It would be revolutionary for the Merchant Guild's
heavy cargo galleons."
Hans blinked, then smiled. The boy is barely ten and he's already thinking about
the Guild's logistics? Truly a Tier-1 Honors student.
"Mr. Hans."
A gentle voice drifted from the neighboring section. Hans turned to see Sister
Danica smiling at him.
"Sister Danica! The Cathedral staff is in attendance as well?"
"Indeed," she nodded. "Bishop Anchi decreed that this is a National Sacrament.
Attendance by all high-ranking clergy is a mandatory directive."
Hans looked past her to see Father Anchi and Sister Cecilia. Anchi wore his
usual mask of stoic indifference, though the wine bottle in his hand had been
replaced by a massive, gold-bound scripture. Cecilia, however, had discarded her
nun's decorum entirely and was vibrating with excitement.
"This stage is a masterpiece!" Cecilia exclaimed. "Greed really outdid himself.
It's a literal work of art!"
Anchi spared her a sideways glance and let out a dismissive huff. "What do you
know of art, woman?"
"I know more than a lazy bones who only understands the bottom of a bottle!"
Cecilia snapped, reaching out to yank on Anchi's bishop robes. "Don't you start
with me today, Anchi!"
"I am merely maintaining the dignity of the Lord. Your shouting is a structural
disturbance."
"YOU—!"
As the two descended into their daily routine of mutual annoyance, Danica
stepped in to play peacemaker. "Please, Sister, Bishop... the ceremony is about
to begin. Let's maintain a baseline of silence..."
Hans watched them, unable to suppress a clicking chuckle.
Just then, a commotion erupted from the opposite side of the VIP block. Hans
turned to see Scarlett approaching with the senior staff of The Succubus's
Dream. They were dressed in uniform, high-end gowns that turned every head in
the radius. They moved with the practiced grace of the Empire's rising elite.
"President Hans. It has been some time," Scarlett said, offering a refined
smile.
"Guild Leader Scarlett," Hans nodded. "I assumed you'd be too busy with the new
branch openings to attend."
"A mobilization of this scale? I wouldn't miss it for a mountain of gold."
Scarlett's gaze drifted toward the empty throne at the top of the stage, a
flicker of yearning passing through her eyes. "Besides... I wish to see that man
again."
Hans noted the look but said nothing. Everyone had their own private reasons for
being here.
Suddenly, the collective roar of millions died. The silence was instantaneous
and absolute, as if a vacuum had been triggered over the entire city.
Every head tilted upward in unison.
Above the Celestial Stage, the sky began to bleed. A gargantuan, sapphire-blue
teleportation array began to unfurl in the high atmosphere. As the seconds
ticked by, the radiance intensified until the blue light blotted out the sun
itself.
The stands held their collective breath. They knew the logic of the world was
about to change. The Sovereign was coming.
☆☆☆
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