Chapter 3: A New Emperor?

    Yu Chen''s throat went dry. He—or rather, Arkanos—had dragged them all here for an artifact. An artifact meant to give them an advantage in the upcoming war. And yet, they weren''t prepared. Not even close.

    Guilt weighed on him. These people were fighting and dying for a ruler who had doomed them with his arrogance.

    ''What''s at stake if we successfully retreat?'' Yu Chen asked in his thoughts.

    The system responded.

    ---

    [Retreat Consequences]

    Forces Loyalty: 70% of remaining soldiers will resign, citing your reckless leadership.

    Internal Rebellion: The growing rebellion within the empire, which has thus far remained in the shadows, will publicly rise up. Your failure here will embolden them to act openly.

    Grand Vizier Cedric Raine: Seizing the opportunity, Grand Vizier Cedric Raine will carry out a coup. He will publicly execute you and take the throne for himself, solidifying his claim with the full support of the High Council.

    Outcome: Immediate execution. The Bloodbane dynasty will end.

    The bloodline ends with you.

    ---

    Yu Chen''s heart pounded as he read these words. If they retreated, he was as good as dead.

    Yu Chen clenched his fists.

    ''Retreating isn''t an option, then.''

    He thought to himself. He couldn''t let that happen, not after everything he had just learned. He mentally made a note of Grand Vizier Cedric Raine. The name felt important, critical, even. If what the system said was true, this man could become his worst enemy.

    He had already died once just moments ago, at least from his perspective. The idea of getting a second life only to face death again wasn''t appealing in the slightest.

    ''What about if we succeed in this mission?''

    He asked, holding onto a flicker of hope that a victory here might save him.

    The system''s response was less urgent, but no less severe:

    ---

    [Success Scenario]

    Rebellion: The rebellion will remain hidden, not emboldened by your failure.

    Forces Loyalty: Though the rebellion won''t become public, your troops'' loyalty will still drop significantly due to the heavy casualties caused by your poor leadership and reckless decision-making.

    Summary: You will survive, but the damage to your reputation and the morale of your forces will cause future problems. The empire will slowly unravel as trust erodes.@@@@

    ---

    Yu Chen exhaled sharply, a wave of disappointment washing over him.

    ''So even if we win, things still fall apart?''

    [Holy power is flowing into you.]

    [Complete!]

    [Congratulations! You are now a follower of the Goddess of Justice and Purity, Telehera.]

    [May your path from henceforth be a pure and just one.]

    Yu Chen let out a scream, his body trembling from the pain. The head priestess rushed over, shock in her eyes, while the knight, still bleeding from a gash on her forehead, leaned closer.

    "What''s wrong now, my liege?"

    He raised a trembling hand. "I''m fine," he managed to say through gritted teeth. But inside, he was cursing the scriptwriters.

    ''Damn you all! Who the fuck decided the branding would be done with holy fire? Shit... I''m sure regular fire would have hurt as much, but I can''t help but feel this hurts more!''

    The knight hesitated, then spoke again, her voice filled with worry. "If you''re truly unwell, we should retreat. My liege, we don''t stand a chance of winning anyway..."

    "No!" Yu Chen''s voice, though strained with pain, was firm. The knight and the head priestess exchanged nervous glances.

    He couldn''t retreat. Not now. Not after the branding. This was his only shot at turning things around, but the question still hung in the air—could he live up to the path of purity and justice now marked on his body? He took a deep breath, feeling the burn slowly subside, his resolve hardening in his chest. He had to do this.

    Yu Chen—no, Arkanos Bloodbane—suddenly rose to his feet, despite the lingering pain in his body. The knight beside him looked startled as he turned to her, his eyes sharper than before.

    "What is your name?" he demanded.

    She hesitated, confused. "My liege... I''ve been by your side since childhood. Did the crash affect your memory as well?"

    He narrowed his eyes and yelled, "You still haven''t answered my question!"

    The knight flinched at the force of his voice, stuttering before she managed to respond. "I-It''s Seraphine Valebright, my liege, of the Valebright family."

    Arkanos''s gaze softened slightly. "Good. Now, Seraphine, order our forces to pull back."

    Her eyes widened in shock. "But my liege, I thought we weren''t retreating? You said—"

    "Pull them back," Arkanos interrupted sharply. "I will handle the monster myself."

    Seraphine''s mouth opened to protest, but the words died on her lips as she saw the fire in his eyes.

    The head priestess, standing just behind them, exchanged a nervous glance with the knight. Both women felt a familiar sense of dread settle in; the arrogance was back, or worse, perhaps the emperor had completely lost his mind.

    The head priestess stepped forward, her voice pleading. "Your Majesty, please reconsider. You were fortunate to survive the beast''s attack that nearly killed you. One more strike could be fatal! We should retreat now while we still have a chance!"

    Arkanos smiled softly at her concern. "Fear not. I have been enlightened and empowered by the Goddess of Justice and Purity."

    Both Seraphine and the head priestess stared at him, bewildered. "What do you mean, my liege?" Seraphine asked cautiously.

    But before either of them could press further, Arkanos began to radiate a brilliant aura of holy power. From his back, a glowing golden scales of justice insignia shon through his clothing, visible for all to see.

    Their eyes widened in shock and awe as the holy power surrounded them, they couldn''t deny it''s presence.

    Arkanos raised his head, his voice echoed with conviction. "From this day forward, I shall turn a new leaf. I will avenge the fallen by ending that foul creature''s life. And those who remain shall return home with their honor restored."

    "For the empire!"