Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1785 Reserved status

Whoooosh

Richard launched himself from the ship like a blazing cannonball, slicing through the air with unmatched speed. Dust and debris swirled around him, stirred violently by the sheer force of his descent.

Baaam! His landing hit the ground with a cataclysmic force, sending shockwaves that cracked the earth beneath him. The ground splintered in multiple directions, jagged fissures running like veins across the battlefield, while a towering dust storm erupted around him, swallowing the horizon in a chaotic haze. For someone his size, the destruction was utterly disproportionate.

Woosh! With a graceful, almost casual sweep of his hand, Richard brushed away the dust that veiled his vision. The battlefield was suddenly revealed in all its terrifying glory...

An immense army surged toward him, advancing with the relentless rhythm of a nightmare. The front lines were monstrous in scale-a cavalry of warriors atop massive felines, each beast towering over ten meters in length and weighing more than three tons. Every hooffall sent tremors through the ground, shaking smaller units behind them.

Richardʼs eyes narrowed, analyzing the formation with the precision of a veteran. He could feel it-each rider in the front line radiated power, every single one a martial emperor. The sheer magnitude of their force was enough to obliterate entire cities with ease. This was the army that, decades ago, could have toppled the Great Serpent Empire in Jura if unleashed without restraint.

”Heh~” Richard cracked his neck from side to side, a hint of excitement threading through his otherwise calm expression. ”Itʼs been centuries since Iʼve had a proper fight.” Slowly, deliberately, he raised his leg and slammed it into the earth.

Shwaaaaaa!

His leg erupted in brilliant green flames, the fire twisting and curling around his limb before plunging downward, boring into the ground beneath him with searing intensity. The earth beneath him fractured and cracked, the pressure sending shards of rock and soil flying outward like deadly projectiles.

Meanwhile, the massive army remained indifferent to the new arrival. The front lines braced for incoming fire, expecting cannon shots or magical projectiles from above-but nothing significant landed. They barely noticed the disturbance, their advance unbroken and unstoppable.

And the man who had appeared in the midst of this chaos? Barely anyone noticed him. Even those who did glance his way ignored him; after all, in a few moments, he would be nothing more than pulverized rubble beneath the hooves of the massive felines.

Then suddenly-

Ksssh!

Ksssh Ksssh Ksssh

”What?” The first line of cavalry froze mid-stride, eyes widening in disbelief. A wall of jagged stones erupted violently from the earth, forming a barrier directly in their path. Ordinary stones, yes-but each one was engulfed in fierce green flames, crackling and hissing as they burned.

Still, they pressed forward, undeterred.

”What is this sorcery?”

”Crush it!”

Even if what lay before them were the legendary metallic roots of the Special Forces, the cavalry would have crushed it without hesitation. They had faced countless obstacles before-but this...

Boooom!

The collision defied all expectation. The entire first line of cavalry was obliterated, frozen mid-charge as if smashed against an invisible wall. Their colossal felines toppled like toys, the riders thrown violently, their cries swallowed by the roaring chaos of battle.

”What?!” The following ranks blinked in disbelief.

”Leap over it!”

There was barely enough space between them and the shattered first line to maneuver. There was no time to assess the situation. If they didnʼt overcome this barrier immediately, the forces behind them would crash into their backs at full speed, causing a catastrophic chain reaction.

Woosh!

Thousands of massive felines leaped with astonishing agility, soaring over the green-flamed wall. From above, they could see General Alexander and the chaos unfolding within the city-an entire urban center on the brink of destruction.

But then they saw something else-something that made their blood run cold...

Kssshhh! The jagged stone wall stretched upward, extending its reach, penetrating the felines and their riders from below.

Green flames engulfed the stones, searing through the beasts and riders alike. In an instant, all life force was drained from them, leaving only withered husks resembling mummified corpses. And then, just as suddenly, the fire receded.

”What?!”

The rest of the army finally realized the horror when they saw the towering fang-like stones, looming high above the battlefield.

But new dangers awaited them.

Krerrr!

The earth in the heart of the army heaved violently. From it emerged a monstrous stone titan, forty meters tall, with dozens of massive arms, each ablaze with green fire, increasing both its toughness and its lethality. Bam! It swung wildly in all directions, smashing anything nearby.

Krerr! The enormous fang wall shook violently, flinging the felines from above as if they were mere toys. Then it began hunting methodically for its next prey, the stones moving as if alive.

Woosh! From the ground burst thousands of serpent-like creatures, attacking the next lines of cavalry with unrelenting precision, one by one, swallowing the battlefield in a tide of fire, stone, and death.

The clash of powers, the thunder of hooves, the crackling green fire, and the earth-shattering impacts combined into a symphony of chaos, marking the battlefield as a place where only the strongest-or the cleverest-could survive. Richardʼs eyes gleamed with anticipation, unshaken by the terror surrounding him. Every movement, every calculated strike of his body, promised death to all who dared challenge him. The storm of destruction had only just begun.

Above the city walls-

”This...?” Alexander and his officersʼ eyes widened in utter disbelief, their pupils stretching to their limits as if trying to take in every detail.

The army that had been on the brink of flattening the city had come to an abrupt halt, frozen mid-assault, and now it was being utterly annihilated- completely, without mercy, right before their eyes!

And all of this... all of it... because of that young man with white hair.

Alexander exhaled slowly, a mixture of relief and admiration in his gaze. A small, almost imperceptible smile appeared on his face. ”... It seems the Crown Prince has chosen to engage with us again, and at the perfect moment.”

”Haha, indeed!!”

”One of the Empireʼs true power centers is now fighting on our side!”

”This war belongs to us now!!”

The officers behind Alexander had already erupted into cheers, clapping loudly

and slapping each other on the shoulders. Their voices rang with unbridled excitement, and their energy radiated across the walls, infecting everyone nearby with hope and determination.

Alexander said nothing. Words were unnecessary. He felt the same surge of certainty and power flowing through him, a calm yet overwhelming acknowledgment that the battle had just shifted entirely in their favor. Richard, Caesar, Theo, Peon, Hulak, Aro, Sakaar, and Amon... these were the true power centers within the Empire. They were not merely soldiers or generals-they were forces that could face armies alone, and win.

Behind them came the generals -Alexander, Martin, Victoria, Kandal, and Sayer - but their strength, though formidable, was secondary to the sheer power, authority, influence, and morale boost that a power center could unleash. For Alexander, this was clear: he could step aside willingly for any of these figures, with absolute trust and no hesitation whatsoever.

Baa!

At that precise moment, Richard spun, planted his foot firmly into the ground,

and launched forward like a blazing meteor toward the city-toward the exact spot where Alexander was standing. Poof! This time, his landing was perfect, controlled with uncanny precision, leaving no destruction behind. ”Greetings, everyone,” Richardʼs calm, commanding voice resonated across the walls, cutting through the roar of battle like a sharp blade.

”Your Highness!” the troops shouted in unison, their voices trembling with awe,

admiration, and relief.

”Your Highness, welcome back! Your mere presence here confirms victory before it has even begun. I would arrange a grand ceremonial welcome once the battle is over, but for now...” Alexander inclined his head slightly, composed yet tense. ”What are your orders now?”

”My orders? Ugh... even you are starting to think like the Shadow Swords,”

Richard said, shaking his head with a faint, knowing smile. He stepped closer and rested a hand firmly on Alexanderʼs shoulder. ”...No, tell me, what are your orders? Come on, say it.”

”This...?” Alexander asked, momentarily taken aback, the weight of responsibility pressing down on him.

”This entire battlefield will remain under your command. I have no experience

leading forces of this scale in a situation like this.” Richardʼs eyes, calm yet piercing, met Alexanderʼs. He patted his shoulder again, a gesture both reassuring and affirming. ”Just tell me where to strike. Give me the target, the angle, the moment-and I will strike.”

”But Your Highness!” Alexanderʼs eyes widened to their limit. He knew the stark difference in power between them-especially Richard, whose very presence could reshape a battlefield in an instant.

”Itʼs settled. You will continue your role, maintain command,” Richard said, waving lightly with a relaxed smile. ”But know this: I will observe everything you do. I will learn from you, just as my brother Caesar once did. Do not think I will let an opportunity for mastery slip away!”

”...It is an honor I will pass down through my lineage, a pride I will carry even beyond my death,” Alexander exhaled deeply, a long, thoughtful breath. The weight of responsibility and the thrill of teaching-training two of His Majestyʼs sons in the arts of war-pressed on him, but it was a responsibility he would embrace wholeheartedly.

Alexander lifted his head sharply, shaking off the lingering fog of daydreams and fantasies. His eyes sharpened, his mind focused entirely on the battlefield.

He turned to issue precise, unwavering orders:

”We no longer need to fear the previous assault. Deploy all reserve forces.

Deploy the elite units. Sweep the area around the fortress. Every enemy must be cleared-no exceptions. Move swiftly, decisively, and with precision!” ”Yes, General!!” The shouts of the soldiers rang out, a wave of energy surging across the walls and into the hearts of every warrior.