CHAPTER 240: TOWARDS HELL

When he asked Juliet this question, she replied, ’Because I was worried that you would rush off to rescue them... I don’t want to lose you when I’m already facing the possibility of losing my sisters and brothers.’

Still, nothing had changed. Atlas would press ahead and carry out the operation he had set his mind on.

A long time had passed. When the middle of the month came, and the stars lit up the sky with their light, Atlas calmly watched Selene’s beautiful moonlight in the sky.

The full moon was overhead. Millions of soldiers were inside and outside Shorekeeper City.

A vast area spanning tens of kilometres was equipped with a massive teleportation circle. Juliet had worked day and night, refusing to sleep, and had chosen to cling to this unfounded, nearly impossible hope that Atlas had given her. It was the only option, in every sense of the word.

Even a Sage like Juliet did not know what to do. The gods and goddesses had tried to help the mortals of the world as much as possible, albeit belatedly.

Still, everything now depended on the final outcome.

The number of portals appearing around the world had decreased significantly. It would not be wrong to say that they had decreased dramatically. While it was frightening to say that Beelzebub was planning something, it seemed like a real possibility, and this was naturally the last thing anyone wanted.

Atlas was fixated on the light of the full moon in the sky, constantly thinking about the words Cassandra had spoken to him.

[Whatever you do, I will be by your side. If necessary, I will stand against those I hold most dear, if that is what you desire.]

Dozens of memories kept swirling in his mind, and he tried to make himself as happy and hopeful as possible by thinking about his past friendships and the friendships he had made in this life.

When everything was ready, Atlas immediately turned to look at the emperors, kings, and queens gathered in the Throne Room.

"Please take your places at the head of your troops. We will activate the teleportation circle in five minutes. I will be at the front, alongside Juliet. If the Sages die, we will have no chance of winning, so we must do everything in our power."

Upon hearing these words, every noble except Aether and Aelia left the room, and the two locked eyes with Atlas.

"Are you sure you want to do this? There’s still time to turn back," Aether asked with great concern.

"Uncle," Atlas said calmly.

"My sister is there, the woman of my life is there, my family is there. While we still have a chance, with Lucifer’s and even Chaos’s words weighing heavily on me, I don’t want to miss this enormous opportunity."

With Atlas’s words, Aelia stepped forward a few paces and said, "But you have another family here."

"I am aware of that, but the moment those barriers collapse, everything will turn to ruin. You will suffer in the future, you will die. I don’t want that. It is my natural right to wish for my entire family to live together," Atlas replied.

These words made both Aether and Aelia accept the situation, if not completely.

"Let it be as you wish," Aether said, then took Aelia’s hand and left the throne room.

Only Atlas and Juliet remained in the throne room. Outside Shadowfall Palace, thousands of pure-blooded vampire soldiers were stationed. Irene had been sent directly away from Shorekeeper City, to the capital. In short, Atlas had wanted to protect Irene from any possible danger.

Of course, the city’s own people were also among those who needed protection. Everyone who was not participating in the war had been taken outside the capital, or more precisely, outside the enormous teleportation circle.

This way, when the time came, the vampires assigned to them could bring them back into the city, and the people themselves could be as safe as Irene.

Irene had been sent directly to her family.

The time had come.

’Begin,’ Atlas said suddenly. He had, of course, said this to Juliet.

The moment he said it, Juliet activated the teleportation circle.

A massive blue light, bright enough to blind the eyes, shone so brightly that it illuminated even the night’s darkness, and then everyone within the teleportation circle was teleported to the region where the battle between life and death would take place.

In the blink of an eye, millions of soldiers, thousands of commanders, dozens of kings and queens, two emperors and an empress were teleported around the barrier.

The entrance to the exit of hell would be made in a short time.

It was impossible to see outside from inside the barrier. No demons were coming out of the barrier. This continent, surrounded by flames and ice, seemed calmer than ever before.

Atlas was already ready. The army of millions of soldiers waiting for his command was ready. Everything was completely ready.

Atlas looked directly at Juliet beside him and gently held her hand, saying, ’Everything will be fine.’

Juliet had already come to her senses. The ancient woman hated herself for putting Atlas’s life in danger, but there was nothing she could do now. Absolutely nothing.

As seconds turned into minutes and minutes chased each other, the clock struck two in the morning, and the order was given. Thousands of signal flares were launched into the sky, and with the explosions of the flares, the footsteps of millions of soldiers echoed across the continent.

Atlas and Juliet had entered the barrier. As soon as they entered the barrier, Atlas realised that this area was much larger than he had imagined. This meant that a dimensional spell had been used.

Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of soldiers began to enter behind the two.

The footsteps managed to awaken the Sages, who were lying there as if unconscious.

Beelzebub was nowhere to be seen. It made sense to say that the ancient demon had returned to the demon gate. Nevertheless, it was possible to see that the two ancient demons left behind were being tortured. The two were nailed to the ground right in front of the demonic passageway. It seemed as though all the blood on the ground had been spilled because of them.

Every Sage, and of course Eva and a few aura masters, looked directly at Atlas, who was standing almost in the centre of the area. Each of them was angry, but there was more fear than anger within them, a tremendous fear.

Although the Sages had been harmed by the forced theft of Lucifer’s meaning and magic, they had still been harmed. Each of them had been pushed to the brink of death, and now they were waiting to be tortured.

Atlas looked around at the demons in the area without hesitation and saw that there were far more demons than he could count.

At that moment, Atlas’s eyes locked onto Cassandra. The sight of his beautiful Cassandra was infuriating, heartbreaking, and, to put it bluntly, tragic.

Cassandra’s clothes were almost completely torn to shreds. It would not be wrong to say that the Ancient Woman was nearly half-naked, with wounds on her body and fatigue in her eyes.

Still, Atlas could see the loving gaze in the depths of Cassandra’s eyes.

[I will always be by your side and support you.]

[I will always be by your side and support you.]

[I will always be by your side and support you.]

[I will always be by your side and support you.]

Cassandra’s words echoed repeatedly in Atlas’s mind.

Eva kept telling her little brother with her eyes to leave, but it was futile; Atlas had already drawn the Holy Sword Delusion.

At the same time, Atlas made a sign to Juliet, and the ancient woman vanished instantly.

Beelzebub seemed to have made a mistake. He had left every Sage and aura master alive here. Though expecting anything less from a demon trying to steal Lucifer’s sin—the sin of pride—would be utterly foolish.

Juliet managed to release all the Sages and aura masters in just a minute, despite the pain she was in, and the entire group was reunited.

Atlas directly gave Cassandra a few pieces of clothing, hugged her sister tightly, and at that moment, it occurred to him...

Everything... had been so fast and easy, hadn’t it?

As she questioned this, the massive barrier containing millions of soldiers suddenly turned from the blue colour Bellatrix and Constantine had created it in to red, and then a sound like a heartbeat began to be heard:

"BA-DUMP!!"

"BA-DUMP!!"

"BA-DUMP!!"

"BA-DUMP!!"

Atlas was acutely aware that something big was coming. Whatever this thing was, it was truly powerful. After all, instantly changing the spells of two Sages was not something anyone could do.

’EVERYONE GET READY!!!’ Atlas shouted. At the same time, he began to hold the Holy Sword Delusion very tightly in his hand.

Whatever was coming, Atlas would stand against it.