Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

Chapter 1554: Chapter 1552: The Battle Begins (Way Too Few Ammo in Borderlands 3)

The howling wind and dust covered the rivers and the earth, an endless wilderness extending to the distant horizon. In the sky above, a pitch-black scorching sun relentlessly burned, illuminating the land before us and that holy and solemn King’s City.

Lothric.

”What happened?”

”What on earth is going on?”

”What’s this situation?”

It was the whole of London that Fang Zheng had drawn into sealing, so at this moment, all magicians present in London were completely shaken by this transformation.

”W-what exactly are you trying to do?”

Standing beneath the city gate, Lord El-Melloi II looked up at the Red Ponytail above, clenching his fist, he asked in a low voice, while Fang Zheng merely chuckled. Then she raised her Greatsword, pointing it towards the opposing Clock Tower.

”I am the representative of the World Tree of a Thousand Realms, the Magical Girl Red Ponytail.”

The girl’s voice was not loud, yet it clearly passed through the barrier, resounding in everyone’s ears.

”Now, I, on behalf of the World Tree of a Thousand Realms, officially declare war on the Mage’s Association and the Clock Tower. To the Lords of the Twelve Families who hold the Clock Tower and the Mage’s Association, your era has ended, your ideals have vanished. For the world, for the future and survival of humanity, we at the World Tree of a Thousand Realms hereby declare total war on the Mage’s Association! We will eliminate everyone’s Magic Crests and utterly destroy the Clock Tower! From now on, the era where magicians live for the Origin, relying solely on Magic Crests and family influence to attain supreme status is over! The new Magic, the new rules, the new order—will be decided by us, the World Tree of a Thousand Realms!”

What!?

Hearing the voice echoing in their ears, almost all the magicians were stunned. They looked at each other, momentarily at a loss for how to react.

Many magicians were, of course, aware of the renewed fallout between the World Tree of a Thousand Realms and the Mage’s Association, but deep down, the average magician instinctively thought this was just another power struggle between the World Tree of a Thousand Realms and the Clock Tower.

Like overthrowing the rulers to become king themselves, such things were not uncommon to most magicians, and thus they paid it no mind.

But now, they finally understood the intentions of the World Tree of a Thousand Realms.

They didn’t want to become the king themselves.

They wanted to completely abolish this system!

Especially when Fang Zheng mentioned ”eliminating Magic Crests,” it made the magicians all the more astonished.

They were serious!

If the World Tree of a Thousand Realms didn’t mention it, then perhaps it could be dismissed, but Magic Crests are fundamental to the world of magicians, an existence passed down for two thousand years. And yet the World Tree of a Thousand Realms wants to eliminate it—this means they truly want to overturn everything!! This is about completely subverting the core of magicians!

So, what choice should they make?

”Don’t be ridiculous......”

Although some magicians were still hesitant and remained observant, for some, it was absolutely intolerable.

With ghost-like silhouettes, several figures appeared before the gate of the Clock Tower. Leading them was an elderly man in a suit, hunched over and seemingly on the verge of death. Beside him, not far away, was a burly man and a richly dressed older woman.

They were the Twelve Lords ruling the Clock Tower.

”To disregard our two thousand years of accumulated history, to completely overthrow this world? Such a thing...... how could we allow you to do that......!!”

”What we do doesn’t require your permission.”

Fang Zheng stood atop the city gate, coldly looking at the Twelve Lords across.

”This is not negotiation, not a discussion, nor a compromise, this is war. You, and everything you represent, do not fit this era, and so, we believe......”

At this point, Fang Zheng emphasized the ”we” in his words.

”You should step down from the stage, old folks.”

”Don’t be absurd, brat!”

The old man gripped his cane tightly, the ghostly aura around him nearly pervading out.

”This is our world, our Clock Tower, our magic! Just with you guys, this new era, you think you can change everything? I don’t know what you gained from the Holy Grail War, but...... to use it as a threat......”

”This is not a threat.”

Fang Zheng said here, then lightly snapped his fingers.

”As I said, this is a revolution, it’s a war.”

A roaring sound erupted.

Dozens of huge metal warships descended from the sky, pitch-black, with massive cannons slowly rotating, aiming at the Clock Tower and its affiliate buildings. With flashes of radiance, dozens of Heroic Spirits descended from the sky, appearing atop the city walls.

The pinnacle of science and the pinnacle of mystery, at this moment, all appeared here.

”.........”

At this moment, even the Lords of the Clock Tower could no longer remain calm.

”Why do you study Magecraft?”

Fang Zheng looked at the Lords on the Clock Tower, coldly questioning them.

”To pursue the Origin? But have you achieved it? No, you haven’t. Of course, pursuing the Origin might be your goal. But that doesn’t mean it’s the goal of all magicians. You captured the Origin, dangling it like a carrot, making other magician families serve you, and in the end? What you pursued is still nothing but a mirage, and the only thing you ensure is your family’s power and authority. In truth, pursuing the Origin is just a guise put forth by your Mage’s Association...... nonetheless, what you’ve done is meaningless to the world.”

At this point, Fang Zheng shrugged his shoulders.

”Science can create forces that compare to ancient deities.”

While speaking, Fang Zheng pointed to the warships overhead.

”And mystery can bring unimaginable changes.”

At this point, Fang Zheng extended his hand, pointing to the Heroic Spirits beside him, then———he pointed towards the distant Lords.

”And what about you? Magicians? You deceive the world thoroughly, yet what have you brought? Self-deception? Power, money, and desire-driven conflicts for personal gain? Pursuit of the Origin? No, rather, it should be said that only you Twelve Lords can pursue the Origin. Would you be happy if other families did the same? Would you support it?”

At this point, Fang Zheng sneered.

”Magicians would stop at nothing to reach the Origin? Heh, in that case, let me introduce you to someone.”

As Fang Zheng spoke, the Heroic Spirits beside him all moved aside, and then, a petite figure emerged from behind. She had golden hair, azure blue eyes, and fair skin. Clad in a blue and white dress, she appeared just like any ordinary cute girl.

However, the moment they saw this girl, the expressions of the Twelve Lords all changed.

”Tha-that is......”

Indeed, they saw the radiance on the girl, the very target they had long sought tirelessly!

The endpoint magicians longed to reach with all they had, just stood there!!

”So? Do you see? This is what you have always wished for, so what will you do now?”

Fang Zheng cheerfully looked at the Lords opposite, asking aloud, while the Lords now refrained from speaking. They just silently stared tightly at the girl. After a moment, the burly man beside them spoke up.

”This...... how was this achieved? What method did you use to achieve this?”

”You mean the Origin?”

Hearing the man’s question, Aika smiled slightly, placing her fingertip on her lips.

”There’s no need to do anything special, because I’ve been over there since the moment I was born.”

”......”

Hearing this, the lords once again fell into silence.

But unlike before, this silence carried a hint of... despair.

That’s right.

The thing countless magicians yearn for is something that, for some, has been there since birth. No mysterious magic, no ancestral inscriptions, not even an ancient lineage.

However, some people are born with the Origin.

What can you do about it?

What does your noble lineage matter? What does your powerful Magic Crest matter? What does your authority matter? Two thousand years of accumulation, innumerable magicians’ sacrifices, their beliefs, their faiths, and their creeds are nothing but a joke in front of Sajou Aika.

”Hahahahahaha!!!!”

Suddenly, a burly man burst into laughter, laughing heartily without any regard for his image. It was a kind of mocking laugh, one of no greater sorrow than a heart that has died.

”Hahahahaha, it’s just too ridiculous! Too ridiculous! Centuries of accumulation, countless magicians’ obsessions, we’ve sacrificed everything, yet none of it equals having a good daughter!? Hahahahaha!!! So what are we? What are magicians, after all?!!”

As he spoke, the burly man even shouted angrily, who knows if he was questioning himself, Fang Zheng, or the world itself.

The burly man didn’t seem to expect an answer either. After laughing, he turned despondently and staggered towards the doorway like a drunkard.

”Where are you going?”

An elderly man glared at the burly man’s back and shouted in a low voice.

”Home.”

However, the burly man ignored the elder’s murderous gaze and replied muddledly, like someone who was drunk.

”Trambelio is withdrawing from the Clock Tower from now on. I’ve realized it. What are magic, power, and inscriptions? All bullshit. Instead of messing around with you all, I might as well find more women to have children with, maybe I’ll give birth to an Origin, hahaha.”

”......”

In response to the burly man’s half-resigned declaration, the others were at a loss for words and could only watch as he left the Clock Tower.

Seeing this, the old woman also sighed.

”Baluretta is withdrawing as well.”

After saying this, the old woman also walked out of the Clock Tower.

With their departure, two more lords chose to withdraw, leaving fewer than a handful of lords remaining in the Clock Tower.

Fang Zheng was not surprised by this. He had prepared thoroughly for destroying the Clock Tower this time. The obsession of magicians with the Origin was unbeatable. Although he could defeat the Clock Tower with Heroic Spirits and warships, he couldn’t stop them from continuing their pursuit of the Origin.

So if that’s the case, they might as well play the trump card and destroy them psychologically.

No one was more suited for this task than Aika.

She was herself the Origin.

However, this Origin was not intentional. Although Sajou Aika’s father was a magician, his marriage and childbirth were no different from any other magician’s, without any special magecraft, rituals, or considerations based on bloodline or other aspects.

It was simply getting married and then having a child.

It’s as simple as that.

Yet, it accomplished something countless magicians had not in two thousand years.

What do you call this?

Mockery.

Laughter.

Despair.

Sajou Aika merely standing there negated the very existence of magicians.

Two thousand years of effort and sacrifice, all surpassed by having a good daughter.

So why bother learning magic? Let’s just start harems together.

Trambelio and Baluretta chose to withdraw, Animusphere and El-Melloi leaned towards the World Tree of a Thousand Realms, and with the two lords who withdrew following Trambelio and Baluretta, half of the Twelve Lords were gone. Currently, only five lords remained under the leadership of the elder.

But they still remained silent, not because they were hesitating, but because they were waiting.

Waiting for the true ruler of the Clock Tower to arrive.

”How interesting.”

A sharp female voice rang out, and Fang Zheng saw a woman with long brown hair tied in a single ponytail, wearing noble attire, striding out of the Clock Tower. She gripped a riding crop in one hand, and her eyes stared unflinchingly at the Red Ponytail.

”To have the nerve to cause a commotion at the Clock Tower, I thought it was some kind of madman, but now it seems you do have the strength to match.”

”And?”

”Indeed......”

After a glance at Aika beside Fang Zheng, the woman withdrew her gaze.

”As magicians, perhaps that’s true. Two thousand years of pursuit and exploration, yet we have not gained nothing. However........”

At this point, the woman tightened her grip on the riding crop.

”Perhaps the Clock Tower may one day face destruction, but you? Destroy the nobility? Overthrow the nobility? With just you lot? To overthrow the Dominator? Such audacity! Such outrageousness!”

”I’m truly sorry.”

Fang Zheng raised the Greatsword in his hand.

”In my country, we believe anyone can become a king or general. A person’s bloodline or a family’s bloodline does not determine their status, nor does it decide their capability or future. Today, I am here to, in the name of the World Tree of a Thousand Realms, lead these magicians of the new era to clear you parasites into the dustbin of history! You might think your bloodline is superior, but to me, you are no different from the women standing on the street corner soliciting customers.”

”Very well.”

At this, the woman’s face turned icy.

”I, Lorelei Barthomeloi, shall, in the name of the Barthomeloi Family, eradicate all of you arrogant fools here and now!”

”Then let’s see if you have the capability!”

Fang Zheng swung the Greatsword fiercely.

”Azure Fleet Fifth Strike Fleet, fire at will!”

In the next moment, dazzling beams of light roared from the muzzle, mercilessly bombarding the Clock Tower before them.