Chapter 78 – Thrones of Ash and Blood

"True conquest begins not with war, but with rot—slow, silent, and unseen."

Ashen Crown Fortress – Inner Sanctum

Far beneath the shattered Abyssal Veins, past corridors lined with black runes that whispered to the damned, stood the Throne Hall of Black Flame—the beating heart of the Ashen Crown.

The air in the sanctum was heavier than death. Chains made from cursed soulmetal hung from the ceiling, swaying in rhythmic pulses of dark energy. A blood-red mist coiled along the cold stone floors. At the center of the grand chamber sat the Crimson Throne, forged from the bones of ten thousand cultivators.

Upon it lounged a figure cloaked in shadowed fire—High Inquisitor Rhaziel, the supreme commander of the Ashen Crown.

His skin was pale as moonlight, marred by abyssal sigils. Twin horns curled from his temples, and his eyes held the detached cruelty of one who had orchestrated centuries of genocide.

Around him, six seats remained occupied by his most trusted servants—the Inner Circle of the Ashen Crown.

"Report," Rhaziel's voice echoed, smooth and low, a symphony of rot.

High Inquisitor Kalthor, a man of war and savagery, stood first. "Our summoning ritual was interrupted. The demon lord we intended to bind was slain by the Chaos Sect's Zero."

Murmurs ran through the circle.

Inquisitor Vara, her face hidden behind a veil of black silk, laughed softly. "So the Ghost of the Nine Realms breathes."

"He does more than breathe," Kalthor growled. "He is building a legion. The Chaos Vanguard."

Rhaziel leaned forward. "Then he has begun to play the game."

Strategic Reorientation

On a side wall, a vast map glowed with blood-light. Dozens of crimson marks blinked across the Central and Outer Realms.

Rhaziel pointed toward the eastern quadrant—areas once under Ashen Crown control during the Shadow War of the Fourth Era.

"These lands… we will reclaim them. But not through open war. Not yet."

He turned to Vara. "Activate the Sleeper Web. All embedded agents are to be awakened."

She bowed, her silk whispering. "Already done. Even now, they whisper in the ears of the Sect's elders."

Rhaziel continued, "Sabotage their trust, fragment their leadership. When the Chaos Sect turns inward, we strike."

Kalthor's fist clenched. "And what of vengeance? I demand blood for our demon lord."

"You will have it," Rhaziel said, raising a skeletal hand. "But carefully. Recklessness is what brought them to our gates."

He turned to the sixth seat, where a figure in ceremonial robes and abyssal chains waited patiently.

"High Envoy Zevran of the Demon Court," Rhaziel intoned. "Speak your part."

Alliance with the Demon Court

Zevran, taller than a man and cloaked in deep crimson, lifted his head. Two glowing red eyes shimmered beneath his hood.

"We, the Court of the Abyss, recognize your offer of shared conquest. But our patience wanes," he said. "The seal that binds our legions to the Twelfth Gate weakens. You promised a portal."

Rhaziel's lips curled. "And you shall have it. The ritual that Zero disrupted was a prototype. The final gate will be built at the Temple of Falling Stars, hidden beneath the collapsed Celestial Empire."

Zevran's aura darkened. "Delay it further, and we will seek alliance elsewhere."

Rhaziel did not blink. "Then give us what we require. Demonic architects. Abyssal architects who can carve a ritual gate that even primordial beings cannot unmake."

Zevran hesitated… and then nodded.

"Done."

The Sleeper Agents Move

Far across the realms, shadows began to move.

In Seventh Branch City, a Chaos Sect alchemist named Vrahn, secretly turned years ago, slipped a poisonous compound into the pills meant for the Vanguard's elite warriors.

In Northfire Outpost, a disguised cultivator sent encoded messages using soulfire runes hidden in bird feathers.

In the Chaos Sect's Scripture Vault, a robed elder—his eyes clouded with abyssal corruption—began subtly rewriting foundational scrolls.

A slow rot seeped inward, quiet and deadly.

Chaos Sect – Vanguard Preparation

Back at the main sect's Grand Drill Hall, a different energy buzzed.

Thousands of Chaos Sect warriors stood in disciplined rows, their armor polished, weapons humming with energy. Across the outer rings of the hall, instructors barked drills, formations shifted fluidly, and spiritual energies flowed in precise arcs.

At the center of the Hall, a raised platform floated with six figures standing atop it.

Zero, dressed in layered dark armor marked by golden chaos runes, stood with his arms crossed, surveying the new Vanguard Corps. His eyes narrowed beneath his mask.

To his right stood Asha Rani, now radiant in her new command uniform, her Ice Phoenix bloodline stabilized. Her aura was calm, sharp, and commanding.

To his left, Arya Kapoor, battle-hardened and composed, reviewed squad data with her AI-linked jade slip.

Beside them stood Yi Feng, Captain Varian of the Ironstorm Division, and two new additions—one, a mysterious silent man called Shade, and the other, a young beast tamer named Kala, whose bond with her Storm Leopard impressed even the elders.

"These are your captains," Zero announced, voice amplified by an enchanted relic. "The spearhead of the Chaos Vanguard. From today onward, each of you will answer to them in battle, and in blood."

A cheer erupted from the soldiers.

New Mission: Operation Leviathan

Zero summoned a projection with a wave of his hand. A floating island appeared, surrounded by massive storm belts and abyssal sea.

"This," Zero began, "is Leviathan's Maw—an ancient island fortress that once belonged to the Sea Lords of the Abyss. It has been overrun. We believe the Ashen Crown is attempting a ritual beneath it, using the ruined temple chambers."

He turned to his captains. "You have five days. Mobilize your squads, prepare artifacts, and gather information. This operation is off-grid. No sect-wide broadcasts. Silent entry. Total purge."

Varian cracked his knuckles. "My Ironstorm unit's ready. We'll sink the damn island if needed."

Arya's eyes narrowed. "I'll deploy the Runecloak scouts. We'll know what's waiting before we step on that island."

Kala and Yi Feng nodded in agreement.

Zero finally turned to Asha.

"You'll lead the primary assault. You've earned it."

Asha blinked, surprised—but bowed her head. "I will not fail."

Liora's Warning

That night, beneath the starlit canopy of the meditation gardens, Liora approached Zero.

She was paler than usual, her silver robes stained with arcane symbols.

"They're building something," she whispered. "Bigger than the summoning we stopped. I saw the blueprints in Rhaziel's sanctum—one of the seals bore the mark of Nihilor."

Zero's expression stiffened.

"Nihilor?" he repeated. "That's a name from before the realms were born."

Liora nodded. "He's not just a demon. He was one of the Abyssal Sovereigns—the ones who stood beside the First Chaos Gods before time was measured."

"If they summon him…"

"They won't just destroy the sect," Liora whispered. "They'll unmake existence itself."

Silent Resolve

Zero stood alone later, atop the Celestial Edge Tower, gazing into the night.

The stars above the sect shimmered faintly, as if watching.

He tightened the straps on his gloves and adjusted the sword on his back.

"I won't allow it," he whispered. "Not now. Not ever."

His Chaos Ring pulsed, and the inner voice of the AI chimed in his mind.

"System Notice: Primordial Tier Protocols unlocked."

"New mission assigned: Prevent the Rise of Nihilor."

"Time Remaining: 63 days."

The war had escalated.

And the world had no idea what approached.