Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1298: Terrorizing Empires: Part-1

”Oh goodness... What’s with this emotional drama... bitches?”

When the people heard that haughty and annoyed voice, they flinched and looked up, seeing a glossy white-haired man whose hair flowed like silk in the gentle breeze. He wore a half mask that hid his upper face, leaving only the sharp outline of his jaw exposed—cold, proud, and sculpted as if carved by divinity itself.

Each step he took forward echoed like thunder in still air, his deep black attire gleaming faintly with purple lightning that danced across its surface like restless energy bound by will.

”Dragon Emperor?”

The people of the Pyra Empire were the first to react, their trembling eyes wide as they saw their Emperor finally revealing himself after all the disasters that had struck their lands.

The mere sight of him—his presence alone—forced their knees to the ground. Awe and reverence weighed heavily in their chests as they bowed, the name of their ruler murmured like a prayer trembling on their lips.

Meanwhile, the other Empires frowned at the sudden emergence.

Whispers rippled among them.

What was this man planning?

Wasn’t he the Sovereign’s Disciple?

Victor’s hand rested on Aether’s shoulder, ”Come on, man... there’s no need to get emotional with these ungrateful bastards,” he muttered with a half-mocking tone.

Aether flinched and lowered his gaze. ”No, Victor... it’s just... just, you know... I... I...” His voice faltered like the remnants of a dying storm, caught between sorrow and frustration.

Victor clicked his tongue softly, eyes narrowing as he turned toward the masses. A low growl almost escaped him as his pupils burned faintly with a violet hue. His gaze alone was enough to silence the whispers.

Then he straightened his collar with a calm, almost regal gesture, before lightly pushing Aether aside, stepping into full view. Every movement radiated command—no hesitation, no warmth, only the calm arrogance of a man born to rule.

”I am Victor,” he began with a deep and resonant voice.

”The sole Dragon Emperor of the Pyra Fulgur Empire.”

Victor let the silence linger before continuing, his tone measured, imperial.

”It’s been three days since the strange phenomenon appeared in the sky,” he said, raising his hand toward the heavens where the faint glow of runes and cryptic digits still lingered above.

”As you can see... the rulers have been working relentlessly to uncover the truth behind it. To understand why such markings defy our Empires and name of a Sixth Empire—one none of us had ever seen or heard before.”

He paused, letting his words sink into their trembling hearts, ”So far, what we have discovered... is that, yes—We can confirm the existence of a Sixth Empire.”

A tremor rippled through the crowd. The gathered citizens gasped, voices breaking into whispers. Even though many had suspected it, hearing the truth from their Emperor’s own mouth was like being struck by lightning.

Others shocked... to hear from others, not from their own rulers!

Victor’s eyes glowed faintly again as he continued, ”And furthermore, we now confirm this—those strange, human-shaped metallic figures that descended from nowhere, capturing our people... they belong to that same Sixth Empire.”

A wave of horror spread through the crowd.

Holy shit!

So those were the ones who had taken their kin?

Victor’s expression darkened. The faint shimmer of energy rippled across his coat as his voice deepened into a growl, cold yet divine.

”Thanks to my best friend, Aether... he managed to infiltrate their Empire,” Victor said, dragging Aether slightly forward into the public eye, his tone filled with grim admiration.

”He risked his life for all of you, while the rest of you sat in panic.”

Everyone stared—first at Aether, then at Victor—speechless.

”D-Did he find my mother?”

”Where are they right now?”

”A-Are they even alive?”

So many voices erupted all at once, pleading, trembling, desperate.

Aether lowered his head, unable to utter a single word. His throat felt sealed, his breath shallow... The weight of countless stares pressed upon him like chains.

Victor shook his head slowly. ”There is no need to feel guilty, my friend,” he said with a firm tone. His hand tightened around Aether’s shoulder. Then he turned his gaze back to the people, his eyes burning faintly with that same purple brilliance.

”It’s not a simple feat—something not even I, nor my Master, the Sovereign, could have done,” he declared, ”Yet my friend, your Archpriest, wagered his very life to save those who were taken.

Among them—my dearest darling, Snowflake.... And if you do not yet know, even the Princess of the Void Empire was kidnapped during this ordeal.”

Again, the crowd erupted in disbelief.

Even the Princess of the Void Empire?

What in the heavens’ name was going on?

”Anyway,” Victor continued, raising his hand, silencing them with nothing but presence alone.

”Aether tried his best to rescue those who were stolen away. And, of course, as my friend, he succeeded.... I could not be more proud of him than I am at this very moment.”

He patted Aether’s shoulder once more!

Aether weakly smiled, though his eyes carried a shadow too deep to hide.

The people’s hearts began to stir with hope.

Whispers of faith rippled among them—were their loved ones still alive?

Had they been saved?

Oh my goodness... perhaps not all was lost!

But then, Victor’s expression shifted. The warmth drained from his voice. His eyes turned sharp, cold, and merciless.

”However,” he said softly, ”there is something that not even he could do.”

Everyone frowned, unease twisting in their stomachs as dread began to bloom.

Victor’s voice dropped to a deep, echoing murmur. ”Going against the will of the gods.”

The words reverberated through every corner of the square, like thunder rolling from beneath the earth.

Aether closed his eyes. His body trembled. It was the posture of a man who had lost everything.

Victor’s tone hardened,

”This is what the gods wanted. They wished for those unknown beings to descend and take us away. To divide us. To shatter what we have built. And in trying to defy that will—” his voice rose, ”—we made a mistake!”

He spread his arms wide, eyes blazing with violet fury. ”Your so-called gods—whether Arcane or the Mother—have destroyed everything!

Every single one of them!!”

Lightning crackled faintly through the clouds above. The air itself pulsed with purple sparks that mirrored the ones raging in Victor’s eyes.

The people staggered backwards in horror. Faces turned pale; hearts beat violently in disbelief.

Everyone... dead?

The gods took them—because they tried to save them?

What was happening?

How cruel could the divine truly be?

Victor inhaled deeply, ”My friend... only managed to save my Snowflake—and the Princess of the Void Empire.”

The crowd erupted again in furious and horrifying pain!

”Of course he would!” someone screamed from the depths of the crowd. ”After all, they were more important than pathetic us, right?!”

The voice was trembling with anger, yet filled with pain. A clenched fist rose among the masses.

Aether’s shoulders shook. He trembled, his eyes lowering in guilt and fear. The accusation stabbed deep... too deep!!

But Victor raised his head slowly, his aura darkening like a dragon rousing from slumber. His brows lifted, and that cold, royal arrogance returned in full force.

”Who,” he said, his voice quiet but dripping with deadly venom, ”the fuck said that?”

The crowd held its breath.

”Huh? Haha... of course you are not important... are you?”

He said, his voice dripping with arrogance, a haughty yet dangerously sharp grin spreading across his face. The air trembled faintly around him; his gaze was the kind that could crush pride with a glance.

Everyone’s faces turned to frowns.

”What? You think you all... important?” Victor’s tone dropped low, menacing.

”Oh, believe me, bitches... You are not even worth a single strand of my Snowflake’s scales.”

His words were cold, absolute.... They struck like a lash.

Aether tried to step forward, reaching toward him. ”Victor, enough—”

”Shut up!” Victor’s voice thundered, his fury flaring. ”These assholes need to know their place!!!”

He shoved Aether aside and blurred forward, the wind tearing around him as his aura ignited in purple arcs. His face was twisted in fury, his teeth clenched, every word trembling with divine wrath.

”Do you think... if my friend were still a slave, you would have ever considered him important? Do you?!”

His voice cracked like lightning through silence.

”You dare— you have the fucking nerve—to speak that word... while being the same kind of scum who treat their slaves like dogs! And now you cry, saying you were more important?!”

His chest heaved. Sparks erupted around him like embers falling from a storm.

”If you wanted to save your parents, your children—then do it with your own damn hands! Don’t dare blame others for your weakness!!”

Victor gritted his teeth, his voice echoing in pure rage.

Aether stepped forward again, his voice trembling but firm. ”Calm down... we didn’t come here for this.” He placed his hand on Victor’s shoulder, his eyes pleading.

Victor ignored him completely. His lips curled into a cold, humourless chuckle. ”Important... ahaha.” His voice echoed like a mad god laughing in ruins. ”Then tell me... what the fuck are you trying to do now? Huh?” His tone sharpened, cutting through the crowd.

”Trying to become important, aren’t you? Pretending worth where there never was any?”

His words stabbed straight into their hearts, piercing pride and guilt alike.

And deep down, everyone knew—he was right. That was what they were trying to do.

To become someone. Not one among millions... but one in millions.

The duels still happening across the Zephyra Empire quieted. Warriors lowered their heads, unable to meet that truth.

Victor’s gaze softened only slightly, shaking his head. ”They have the nerve to be hypocrites...” he muttered, disappointment leaking through his voice before his tone grew dark again.

”Do you think he saved them easily?”

Aether’s eyes widened. ”Victor, don’t!” He grabbed Victor’s shoulder, trying to stop him.

Victor spun, his roar breaking the air.

”DO YOU HAVE ANY FREAKING IDEA WHAT HE WENT THROUGH?!!!”

”VICTOR!!” Aether shouted back, clutching Victor’s collar, eyes burning with desperation.

The Pyra Empire’s people gasped, fury flashing in their expressions. How dare the Archpriest touch their Emperor like that?

Such disrespect!

But Victor didn’t retaliate. He only smiled faintly—a strange, bittersweet smile.

”Even now,” he said softly, his voice lowering to a dangerous calm, ”you still don’t want to show these ungrateful people what you’ve endured? Do you love them that much, Aether?”

Aether bit his lip hard. Slowly, he released Victor’s collar, his trembling hands fixing the Emperor’s robe, muttering under his breath. ”Come on, man... there’s no need for that,” he said, his voice cracking at the edge.

Victor’s eyes softened for the briefest second before he shook his head. He stepped closer, his arms pulling Aether into an embrace. ”But you sacrificed so much... I can’t just—” Victor stopped, his voice faltering. He bit his lip and turned Aether slightly, shifting the view for everyone to see his back.

The crowd murmured in confusion.

What was he doing?

Why was their Emperor turning his dearest friend around like that?

Aether patted Victor’s back gently, whispering, ”It’s fine... I’m alright, you know.”

Victor nodded slowly, his hand still resting behind Aether. His fingers twitched once. Then—swift as a blade— His sharp fingers slashed through Aether’s white shirt, cutting it open down the centre of his back.

The fabric parted, fluttering in the wind—revealing what lay beneath.

”GASP!!!”