Chapter 56: Only War!

Year 385 of the Babylonian Kingdom.

The Kingdom of Rose Witches officially began its conquest of the “Great Desert of Nephthys.” However, fearing to provoke the young God of Flame residing there, they confined their operations to the periphery, covertly hunting the “Poison Magpies,” a species under his dominion.

These were terrifying creatures, native to the desert. Their potent venom could easily kill even a Tier 4 wizard.

In the Kingdom of Rose, the Great Emperor, Lord of Death, issued a decree:

“Integrate the blood of the Poison Magpies!”

Throughout the kingdom, powerful Tier 5 and Tier 4 witch mentors, leading their apprentices, established alchemical laboratories. They conducted numerous compatibility potion experiments, and after countless life-or-death trials, some subjects successfully survived the integration process.

They discovered that this blood was even more extreme: only women had a chance of survival, and the side effects were remarkably pronounced.

The women transformed into a type of harpy. Their bodies became hunched, their arms covered in feathers, transforming into dark red wings capable of low-altitude gliding. Their talons were sharp, and they became uncontrollably violent and highly venomous. From birth, they possessed terrifying strength comparable to a Tier 2 wizard.

That afternoon, Emperor Medusa visited the witches' laboratory. In the alchemy room, surrounded by piles of colorful alchemical bottles and black vats bubbling with vibrant blue, she observed the harpies confined in cages and expressed slight astonishment.

“So that’s how it is? The blood of every magical creature causes a specific morphological change. Evil Eye blood affects the mind, the human brain, which is why we don’t undergo physical alterations. But Slime blood and Poison Magpie blood don’t affect the mind; they cause external biological organ changes. Thus, transforming into a new, smaller, non-human monstrous species is quite deformed and lowly. Since they are half-beast, half-person, let’s call them orcs.”

The harpy in the cage shrieked: “Your Majesty, you cannot do this! We witches risked our lives to integrate this blood for the kingdom. Instead of being rewarded for our success, we are now reduced to the lowest of creatures—”

“You are too ugly. We women are supreme, and we have never been so hideous.” Emperor Medusa’s expression remained cold. She turned and swept out of the room.

Centuries later, *The Spear of Flourishing Witchcraft* recorded:

In Year 385 of the Babylonian Kingdom, the wicked witches of the Rose Kingdom, the Nation on the Mountain Peak, conducted extremely bloody alchemical experiments. Using various compatibility potions, they attempted to combine humans with beasts, creating incredibly cruel and deformed alchemical creatures: the orcs were born.

Year 391 of the Babylonian Kingdom.

The Kingdom of Rose, a matriarchal nation, re-established slavery. They once again divided people into classes: witches were highest, serving as the nation’s nobility; other women were next, considered upper-class citizens; men were lowest, as commoners; and orcs were slaves.

A woman killing a man only required a compensation of 300 Rose Coins. A woman killing the lowest-class orc only required compensation of half an Ara Behemoth.

That same year, the subsidiary “Nephthys Orc Kingdom” was established in the desert. Two major orc species lived within its borders, holding extremely low and humble status. They provided labor and various wizardry materials to the Kingdom of Rose; their bodies also served as excellent alchemical ingredients.

Babylonian history fully entered an era of dark tyranny.

Year 397 of the Babylonian Kingdom.

The Kingdom of Rose, the Great Emperor, Lord of Death, issued a command:

“Tier 5 Witch Adeline, proceed to the Babylonian Kingdom and assume its throne.”

Three days later, in the royal hall of Babylon.

Adeline stood alluringly and sensually, a delegate from the Kingdom of Rose Witches. She gazed at Lilith, seated on the throne, and sneered, “Is this the woman who once contended with the Great Emperor? The Kingdom of Rose now boasts eight Tier 5 witches, yet it seems you are now far inferior even to us, the latecomers.”

Lilith remained silent, clutching her scepter tightly. Over the years, the desert campaigns, the emergence of the harpies, and the establishment of the orc kingdom—so much had transpired, leaving her physically and mentally exhausted, on the verge of collapse.

“I am here today because you have provided too few men. The Great Emperor is merciful, but her mercy is not for you to exploit.” Adeline’s face was grim. “From now on, I will fully take over the Babylonian Kingdom, ensuring the entire nation operates efficiently and becomes a dedicated producer of men.”

Inwardly, Adeline was immensely excited. There were many Tier 5 witches in the kingdom. She had previously caught the Great Emperor’s attention because her junior witches had discovered the creature known as a Slime. This was why she now had such a significant opportunity to govern a vast kingdom. She would oversee the Babylonian Kingdom, producing men, while another trusted witch would govern the orc kingdom, producing labor and alchemical materials. Such an important task could not fail; she had to perform better than the other.

“You want me to surrender the throne?” Lilith’s expression turned grim. The witch ministers in the royal hall also wore grim expressions. For so many years, Babylon had merely lingered, but was it now finally facing the fate of ruin?

Lilith’s face twisted in a bitter expression, shifting between ashen and pale several times, before she finally lowered her head. “I, Lilith, choose to surrender, to yield the throne.”

“I, Lilith, choose to surrender, to yield the throne.”“I, Lilith, choose to surrender, to yield the throne.”

Adeline, using the witchery “Sound Waves,” instantly amplified this declaration throughout the entire kingdom.

“Your Majesty!!” Countless witches roared in defiance.“Our Babylon, finally—”

At this moment of surrender, countless people throughout the Babylonian Kingdom wept uncontrollably, sobbing with anguish. Countless witches, staff in hand, knelt to the ground, utterly broken, hating their own powerlessness and incompetence. This moment was eerily reminiscent of the year Lilith was defeated and forced to submit.

Meanwhile, in a dilapidated cabin belonging to the Freemasonry, a group of young witches, cradling a cute, clumsy Slime, also wept bitterly. Their adorable little faces were streaked with tears as the seven knelt to the ground.

“Our nation is doomed!”

They were weak, helpless, and sobbed loudly, just like any ordinary pedestrian on the streets outside—part of the countless ordinary people.

“It’s alright.” Li Shengjiang hopped out of the cabin, his cowlick bouncing. “I’m going out for a bit. It’s time to fulfill what I promised you all those years ago.”

Within the Babylonian Royal Hall.

A terrifying aura descended from above, no longer concealed. “A mere Tier 5 witch dares to be so arrogant.” A deep, resonant voice, imbued with maturity and weariness, followed. “Lilith, you don’t need to continue like this. Now that things have come to this, you no longer need to feign weakness and buy me time.”

“Who?!” Adeline’s face contorted. She turned to see a perfectly tall, slender male figure, three meters in height, stepping forward.

Rumble. A silent pressure crushed down on the extremely powerful Tier 5 witch. Adeline’s knees buckled, and she fell to the ground, her face filled with horror. “A Tier 6 wizard! I can’t believe the Babylonian Kingdom was hiding someone like you.”

She tried to flee, but it was too late! An invisible force instantly surged, knocking her unconscious. The gap between major tiers was truly terrifying. When Medusa broke through to Tier 6, she alone defeated hundreds of Babylonian witches, including Tier 5 Lilith.

“A Tier 6 wizard! I can’t believe the Babylonian Kingdom was hiding someone like you.” At that very moment, Adeline’s words had already spread throughout the kingdom via Sound Waves.

“Our Babylonian Kingdom has a Tier 6 wizard?”“We still have a hidden powerhouse?”“It must be Lady Lilith! Over these past years, Lady Lilith must have given all her resources to someone else.”

On the streets, countless people of the Babylonian Kingdom wept tears of joy, a tremendous hope igniting from their despair. The sudden surge of extreme emotions was overwhelming.

At the Elizabeth Freemasonry, the seven witches stared blankly out the window. “Could it be? No, impossible! It—it’s just a Slime, just our little familiar.”

Within the Royal Hall.

“You shouldn’t have acted so soon.” Lilith showed a look of worry.

“You’ve endured enough, and I’ve broken through to Tier 6,” Li Shengjiang sighed, rising to his feet. “I will depart for the Kingdom of Rose early tomorrow morning.”

The surrounding witch ministers exchanged bewildered glances, finding it utterly unbelievable.

“Lady Lilith, we actually have a hidden legendary wizard? And he’s a man?”“How can there be such a tall and perfect man, and a legendary Tier 6 wizard at that?”“So, what do we do now?”

The wizards were excited. After nearly two centuries, the Babylonian Kingdom once again possessed a Tier 6 Epic Wizard, an invincible force capable of suppressing the world, signifying their renewed power to resist.

“You ask me what to do?”“War, only war!!”

Li Shengjiang held a shield in his left hand and gave his staff a shake with his right. Rings of transparent light rippled outwards, and “Sound Waves” once again resounded throughout the entire Babylonian Kingdom.

“War, only war!”“War, only war!”

On the streets, countless people looked up. This moment also eerily mirrored the year Lilith first waged war. History was rapidly repeating itself, though the protagonists were now entirely different.

Inside the vast alchemical hall, countless bouncing Slimes were neatly arranged in rows.

“Ten thousand Slimes, board the war fortress.”

Thump, thump, thump! Each Slime neatly hopped into a designated pit. These Slimes were unintelligent, low-level magical creatures, incapable of practicing witchcraft. However, when used as “Slime engines,” they could form a terrifying, colossal engine with ten thousand horsepower.

“Today, I will take my Slime kin to avenge past humiliations aboard this war-alchemical airship, redesigned from the blueprints of a J-31 fighter jet.”

Li Shengjiang strode into the alchemical airship, and the colossal mechanical construct ascended into the sky. On this day, countless Babylonians gazed at the gigantic flying beast in the sky, astonishing the entire Babylonian Kingdom.

Rumble! A silver meteor shot forward at high speed, roaring as it cut across the sky, emitting the distinct hum of its mechanical operations.

The Balchik Mountains, Nation on the Rose Summit.

Within the sprawling, emerald-covered mountain range, a hidden arc-domed royal palace nestled among the peaks. Ornate stone pillars carved with roses supported the entire structure, and a vibrant red carpet covered the floors. Inside the royal hall stood many people, various powerful and beautiful women dressed in red wizard robes. On a high throne, a woman in a magnificent crimson wizard robe gazed into the sky, then suddenly rose.

“Interesting.” Her form abruptly vanished from her spot.

“What is that thing?” She appeared in the sky, lightly waved her staff, and an intricate red, circular magic array materialized before it.

“Flower of Death.”

Boom!! In an instant, countless black clouds churned in the sky, converging into a colossal, crimson rose—plunging the world into perpetual twilight, obliterating the distinction between day and night.

“Gate of Holy Light!!” On the magnificent alchemical airship, the Slime bellows pumped furiously, converting kinetic energy into psychic potential. Countless slender staves extended from the vast hull.

Rumble! The air currents from tens of thousands of staves surged and converged, and the world seemed to erupt in blinding, dazzling holy light. That light pierced through the swirling black clouds, as if breaking open the gates of heaven into the abyss of hell.

The two great magical arts collided rapidly. The ground of the entire mountain range vibrated and shook, the earth trembling. Countless citizens of the Kingdom of Rose emerged from their streets and homes, looking up at the incredible sight in the sky.

“Tier 6!” Medusa suddenly turned her head. A flicker of surprise appeared in her eyes, yet there was no trace of tension. She simply watched the handsome, god-like man emerge from the strange mechanical construct before her.

“Finally, you’ve been drawn out. Tell me, are you the last hope of the Babylonian Kingdom?”