The Supreme Overlord (Multicross)

The sudden appearance of Saigou shocked everyone present. Gajou Akatsuki's expression shifted slightly as he quickly moved to shield his two children from the eerie and sinister figure before them.

"Father!"

The young girl in a red and white shrine maiden outfit let out a piercing scream, calling out to her father in terror.

Hearing Nagisa's scream, Gajou was thrown into a panic. He immediately turned to his daughter, his voice fraught with worry, "Nagisa, what's wrong? What happened?"

Nagisa had her eyes tightly shut, tears streaming down her cheeks, staining her beautiful, innocent eyes. Amidst the tear-streaked face, a hint of red could be seen—two drops of blood-tears trickled down from the corners of her eyes.

At that moment, both Gajou and Kojou were stunned. They called out to Nagisa anxiously, their faces filled with concern.

Fortunately, Gajou's life experience allowed him to stay calm under pressure. He quickly asked, "Nagisa, what's happening? What did you see?"

From Gajou's perspective, his daughter must have seen something she shouldn't have—a terrifying sight that caused her distress. This is a common problem for shrine maidens with strong spiritual power; they are often at risk of mental and emotional collapse when confronted with horrors invisible to ordinary people.

"Everyone is aging; everyone is being destroyed!"

"I saw every living thing turn into mummies, their life drained away. I saw this very planet being swallowed by eternal darkness."

"Father, everyone is dead—they're crying for help, they're wailing!"

Nagisa's voice trembled as she murmured, her words turning into a final, blood-curdling scream.

At this point, Gajou finally understood what was happening. He hugged Nagisa tightly and said in a frightened voice, "Close your eyes and don't look at that devil, Nagisa! Don't look at him!"

The grass withered, the ancient rocks aged, and even the mist in the cave seemed to rot. The dreadful aura of aging and decay spread in all directions, filling everyone with an overwhelming sense of fear.

This was the most terrifying form of death—aging—the inevitable end all living beings try to avoid.

Gajou realized that his daughter must have seen the devil's true nature, causing the spiritually powerful shrine maiden to go mad.

At this moment, Liana also regained her sanity, shaking off the ecstasy she felt upon seeing the 12th Kaleid Blood. Gritting her teeth, she glared at the devil with a smile on his face and said, word by word, "Zarathustra? I know you. You're the demon contracted by the Witch of the Void who has been making waves in Europe recently!"

"If you're here, where's that witch? Witches and devils are always inseparable!"

As soon as Liana finished speaking, the space beside Saigou fluctuated. With the use of spatial manipulation magic—an art that even in magical circles is highly advanced—two elegant figures appeared in the vast underground cave.

One was a petite figure with a blank expression and doll-like delicate features, wearing a black Gothic dress adorned with lace and frills. Even in this underground cavern, she carried a luxurious parasol.

The other was a tall woman dressed in a twelve-layered kimono, embodying the classic beauty of Japanese style. Her smooth, dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her bright features carried a hint of allure.

"The Witch of the Void, Natsuki Minamiya, and the High Librarian of The Library, Aya Tokoyogi!"

Liana's expression turned grim at the sight of the two witches.

She moved her right hand slightly, as if preparing to summon a familiar, but her rational mind stopped her. Her hand froze.

The High Librarian of The Library, Aya Tokoyogi, was a mystery, with very few records of her actions. But the Witch of the Void, Natsuki Minamiya, was notorious—her name was earned through bloodshed. Many powerful beings from the magical communities of Europe had fallen at her hands, and even the ancient vampires were helpless against her.

Compared to those old vampires, Liana was young and knew she was no match for the witch.

Aside from these two witches, there was also a bizarre devil that baffled magical scholars worldwide. The three of them together were not opponents Liana's group could contend with.

Where had things gone wrong? This was supposed to be a straightforward archaeological expedition. How had their intentions been exposed?

And why would a devil be interested in the Fourth Primogenitor? What was his purpose?

Liana's mind raced with countless thoughts, but she could not find any answers amidst the chaos.

The mercenaries hired by Liana and Gajou remained silent. These muscular mercenaries raised their weapons, aiming at Saigou and his group.

These were not ordinary firearms; they were loaded with special magical bullets capable of damaging any magical entity.

"Put down your weapons; it's over now!"

A youthful voice rang out, followed by another fluctuation in spatial magic. A silver-haired girl appeared in the cave.

The girl seemed young, with long silver hair like moonlight and bright blue eyes filled with elegance and pride. Wearing a military-style uniform, she held a strange gun, her gaze overlooking the mercenaries fearlessly.

"You are... La Folia Rihavein, the First Princess of the Kingdom of Aldegia? Why are you here?"

"Does the Kingdom of Aldegia also have an interest in the Fourth Primogenitor?"

Liana's face turned ashen, her words betraying her confusion.

It was quite possible that the Kingdom of Aldegia was interested in the Fourth Primogenitor. After all, apart from the past twenty years, the kingdom had been at war with the Warlord's Empire for ages, making them archenemies. To counter the First Primogenitor, it would make sense to seek the power of the Fourth Primogenitor.

Liana no longer had time to ponder how her plans had been leaked. She was now despairingly wondering if she would even survive.

Her life didn't matter as much as restoring the glory of the Caruana family. If she failed now, the Caruana family might never rise again.

This was what filled Liana with despair.

Princess La Folia smiled slyly and spoke in her clear, elegant voice, "Surrender, Liana Caruana!"

"…Surrender the 12th Kaleid Blood and quietly go to prison, and you might have a chance at survival."

"And over there, Dr. Akatsuki, along with your children, you are now wanted by the Republic of Malta. Illegal excavation of relics is a grave crime in Malta!"

"…I have received authorization from the Maltese authorities to issue a warrant for your arrest here!"

As she spoke, La Folia produced an electronic arrest warrant. It was not a forgery but a genuine order issued by the Maltese government.

"Dr. Akatsuki, your children are still young. If you confess, they will not face difficulty or judgment."

"…I believe you wouldn't want them to bear the stain of a criminal record from such a young age, which could shadow them for the rest of their lives, no matter what they do in the future."

"And to the mercenaries over there, you are merely hired hands. If you lay down your weapons and surrender, the Republic of Malta will overlook your past actions."

"…You have no reason to conspire with these criminals, do you?"

At La Folia's rebuke, the mercenaries' expressions wavered, their guns instinctively lowering.

Natsuki Minamiya couldn't help but cast a glance at La Folia. Even she had to admit that the young princess was truly exceptional. As someone who aspired to teach in the future, Natsuki thought that if her future students were as outstanding as this princess, she would be truly grateful.

"This is absurd. Our excavation of the relics was authorized by the Republic of Malta. How can you claim we are engaging in illegal excavation?"

Liana couldn't contain her anger as she spoke.

La Folia remained composed, her lips parting slightly, "…The Republic of Malta only authorized your investigation of the relics."

"…But you concealed the fact that the relics contain the 12th Kaleid Blood."

"For Malta, your actions are tantamount to bringing weapons of mass destruction into the country."

"…You are no different from terrorists now, and the Kingdom of Aldegia will recognize you as such alongside Malta."

"Under the Holy Ground Treaty, even in the Warlord's Empire, your status remains unchanged."

Gajou, who was usually nonchalant, looked visibly shaken by this statement. He glanced at the young princess, who was not much older than his own children, and murmured, "…This girl is too formidable!"

"If anyone marries her in the future, they will surely face a tough time."

Hearing this, La Folia smiled and said, "…Thank you for your concern. However, I believe matters of marriage are beyond Dr. Akatsuki's realm of consideration."

Saigou couldn't help but applaud, "…Brilliant, truly brilliant. Using the weight of authority to corner the enemy, forcing them into a dire situation without a single soldier falling."

"…In politics and diplomacy, Your Highness, you indeed possess an extraordinarily terrifying talent."

The princess responded with a humble smile, "…Although Mr. Zarathustra, you have taught me that being overly fixated on utilizing rules only leads to a narrow, rigid mindset."

"…But unfortunately, I do not possess the power to disregard all rules and order through sheer strength."

"What I can do is simply make use of the existing rules."

Saigou shook his head, "…No, you have done exceptionally well. After all, humans are creatures of order, vastly different from us devils."

"…Though I don't require any assistance from you, since the situation has arisen, and you have managed it perfectly, I will grant you one request. I will assist you in combating the Warlord's Empire."

"I know Your Highness is most concerned about the Warlord's Empire. Vampires have long lifespans, and to them, enmity from decades ago feels like it happened yesterday."

"…However, human lifespans are brief, and decades are enough for people to forget their grievances."

"If the people of Aldegia forget their hatred and the war, and the Warlord's Empire, still harboring hatred, suddenly attacks decades later, the kingdom faces the danger of annihilation."

"…After all, the kingdom's capital was once destroyed by war, so for the kingdom, the current peace is not necessarily beneficial. Being in a controllable war situation would actually be more advantageous."

Saigou's high-level insights left Princess La Folia deeply impressed.

"Mr. Zarathustra, you truly have far-reaching vision. Even within the kingdom, few see the crisis that lies decades ahead."

"…They are immersed in a false peace, and should they ever forget the war, the kingdom could face annihilation!"

"I do not glorify war, but maintaining a restrained, localized conflict is the most beneficial for the kingdom."

"…I wonder if Mr. Zarathustra would be interested in joining the kingdom. I would hold a high position for you!"

At this moment, the princess made an enticing offer.

Saigou, upon hearing this, smiled wryly and said, "…Thank you for the kind offer, Your Highness! I am merely a devil who revels in chaos."

"…All I can bring is chaos, death, and aging, which would hardly fit into human governance."

La Folia was undeterred, "…But to an enemy, chaos, death, and aging are the most advantageous weapons!"

Seeing that Saigou remained silent with a smile, La Folia sighed, her tone tinged with disappointment, "…I was even willing to offer you a position as my royal consort if you joined the kingdom."

Saigou raised an eyebrow, stroking his chin, "…Given what you've said, it seems there might be something worth discussing."

La Folia's face lit up with anticipation, and the cave was filled with an ambiguous atmosphere.

Natsuki Minamiya, unable to bear it any longer, interjected sharply, "…Can you two stop flattering each other and get to the point already?"

The ambiguous atmosphere dissipated under Natsuki's reprimand. Saigou chuckled and stepped toward the crystal-like ice coffin.

Seeing this, Natsuki hurriedly said, "…Hey, what are you doing? Don't you sense the intense curse on that ice coffin?"

"Oh? Natsuki-chan, are you worried about me?"

Saigou paused, his expression a mix of amusement and curiosity.

"Ha, fool, who's worried about you? I'm concerned about how your actions might affect me!"

Natsuki sneered.

"I thought you were straightforward and blunt, but it seems, Natsuki-chan, you have a touch of arrogance too."

Saigou pondered for a moment before smiling broadly, "…No need to worry, that curse cannot harm me."

"…On the contrary, that curse is the very medium for controlling the Sleeping Princess!"

"So awaken, Avrora Florestina!"

***

Bonus Chapter:

100 Power Stones = 1 BC

300 Power Stones = 2 BC

500 Power Stones = 3 BC

700 Power Stones = 4 BC

1000 Power Stones = 5 BC

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