Chapter 49: Ch 49 : Citadel of Veridia

In a world filled with lush greenery and hidden treasures, a new city, named "Citadel of Veridia," stood majestically, built of various kinds of stone. In the center of this city was a giant statue of God Cosmos, fully covered in a black robe and mask, with a portal at its base that led back to Veridia. Currently, the leadership of this citadel was a matter of shared power, as both the Elves and Humans did not want another race to rule them. Even with the fight between Anaske and Vel, the victor was not decided. Thus, they found another solution: they divided all the life forms into two groups—melee fighters, led by Anaske, and ranged fighters, led by Vel. As they both fought many battles in this realm, the previous tension between the elves and humans dispersed. There were even half-elves present in their cities, and they didn’t face any racism. They were always in the limelight because they showed that the elves and humans were living in harmony. The sons and daughters of Anaske married the sons and daughters of Vel, thus creating the first royal family of both Elves and Humans. Through these marriages, many children were born. It was possible for a human and an elf to have a human or an elf child, in addition to half-elves. Thus, the royal family was filled with humans, elves, and half-elves. With Anaske and Vel as the leaders, they named this royal family "Celestin," which became the last name of all the royal family members. Currently, four people were sitting in a hall, chatting and pointing at different locations on a map. These four people were the top leaders of Veridia: two kings and two high priests. They were discussing the expansion of their territory in the Realm of Advancement while also discussing the demon attacks. These demons were from different races, and many of them felt hostile toward non-demonic races and attacked them unconditionally. Thus, the only way for others to increase their territory was to fight and defeat these demon cities. They could ask for demigods like Shenlong and Loki for help, but they decided against it, as the situation was not dire. "In the North, the Malacite race of demons is causing a ruckus for all the hunters of Veridia, while the other three cities are still maintaining their distance from us," Anaske said to Vel and both high priests. The Malacite are a race of demonic brutes, marked by their fiery, inner essence that manifests as glowing cracks across their dark, rock-hard flesh. Their most fearsome trait is the crown of jagged, bone-like shards that grows from their shoulders and spine, giving them a monstrous and intimidating silhouette. These demons are known for their immense physical strength and relentless fury in battle, often serving as the shock troops or siege specialists in a demon army. They are a race born of brute force and chaos, leaving behind a trail of ash and shattered earth wherever they tread. "The other three demon races are just testing our strength by sending the Malacite race to fight us," the high priest of the Elves, Faelor, said. "What if they are weakening us by sending the Malacites and just waiting for the perfect ambush?" the high priest of the humans, Einar, said. As all the leaders were discussing this matter, a guard came with urgent news. "My king! Three of the four demonic tribes are marching in the direction of our cities!" The guard stumbled and fell but still looked at the four leaders of their citadel. Anaske helped the guard sit and said casually, "What’s there to fear? Even if four of them attacked at once, it would still be them who would lose." It was not just a boastful statement; all the citizens knew of their guardian Nova and his deeds. When Nova visited the Realm of Advancement, he killed all the S-Grade monsters and powerhouses of the demon races. "Guardian Nova paved the road for us; now it’s our time to walk on it," Vel said as he walked out to address the soldiers of his army. Anaske also walked out to address his melee army. Currently, the army of Veridia had two A-Grade powerhouses (the A-Grade fighter Anaske and the A-Grade mage Vel). They had many D-Grade and below in the regular armies, C-Grades as army chiefs, and B-Grades as commanders. Anaske and Vel were available for emergency support if the A-Grade of the other side attacked. After boosting the morale of both armies, Vel and Anaske both sat on their respective thrones and were discussing the war with their commanders. Suddenly, a towering pressure emitted from the center of the throne room. A white mist manifested out of nowhere and shaped itself into a humanoid form. "Veilborn?" Anaske felt chills upon witnessing this demon; they were the fourth demon tribe. He didn’t fear this race in particular, but the pressure emitted by this demon was suffocating. The Veilborn are a race of demonic entities that manifest as wisps of white, sentient mist. Unlike other demons, they lack a true physical form, instead existing as an all-encompassing white fog. Within their cloud-like bodies, menacing shapes can be seen, hinting at skeletal features and clawed hands. They have no mouth and thus no voice but communicate through a chilling, internal whisper that echoes in the minds of their victims. The Veilborn do not engage in direct combat but instead suffocate their prey by drawing the very life and air from their surroundings, leaving behind only a desiccated husk. All the leaders of the citadel shivered as they looked at this menacingly beautiful entity. While back in Veridia, one new race came into existence . This race is a powerful and have dark, obsidian-like scales covering their body. Their head is crowned with a series of sharp, jutting horns that sweep back, and their face is characterized by a strong, bestial jawline. The eyes, which glow with an internal, fiery light, add to their fierce and commanding presence. A majestic pair of wings with a leathery texture and a complex bone structure sprouts from their back, indicating not only their draconic heritage but also a capacity for flight. Their build is muscular and athletic, suggesting a warrior’s strength and agility, and their hands are tipped with sharp claws.