The Shining Star Above The Heaven-Chapter 452: Tense Situation

Aldrian swept his gaze over the city below and saw widespread destruction. The situation here was far worse than when he had first stepped into Caritas—there were signs of ruin everywhere, and the lingering death laws across the city made it clear that many lives had been lost.

When Aldrian entered the city, he didn’t bother with a disguise or attempt to hide himself from the public eye. The moment he stepped out of the teleportation portal, some guards began to approach him due to his suspicious appearance. Since the city was under the strict control of the second prince’s faction, every suspicious individual had to be thoroughly inspected.

However, before they could check him, news finally arrived that the mysterious swordsman was coming to the city. Judging by the timing and the description of the masked man, the entire force in Bermin was immediately placed on high alert and moved toward the teleportation station.

The strongest soldier here, a peak Duke-stage knight stood in front of his many troops, looking up at Aldrian from the ground. However, it was clear to everyone that he was afraid. His slightly pale complexion and rigid expression betrayed the fear and tension he tried to suppress.

Although the man was frightened, having already heard of Aldrian’s reputation and strength, he still tried to put on a strong front. He had a duty to uphold. This city was under his jurisdiction, and he would fulfill his role, knowing that the faction trusted him to guard this place.

Before the civil war, he had served as a commander of one of the knight orders under a high-ranking noble family. When the conflict broke out, he demonstrated his prowess and accomplishments, which led to him being entrusted with the defense of this city. To him, this was a true honor—proof that his achievements and strength had been recognized, and that he was deemed worthy of such responsibility.

But as a human, he couldn’t ignore his natural instinct to survive. When he received the report that the "monster" had come to his city, his first thought was to escape. However, the idea of running away like a coward and abandoning his duty left a bitter taste in his mouth. Gritting his teeth, he decided to face the "monster" and try to hold him here for as long as he could.

He knew that neither he nor the entire force stationed in this city would be enough to stop the mysterious swordsman—but he still tried.

"Don’t move, and land slowly! If you try to leave this city, we’ll do everything we can to stop you, even if I have to wager everything I have!" he shouted, his voice trembling.

He knew how ridiculous he sounded, and that his threat might seem like a joke in many eras—but he still made it.

Aldrian looked at the man and couldn’t help but smile behind his mask.

"You’re truly admirable. Even though you don’t have the power to stop me, you’re still doing your duty and holding your position. That, at least, is a quality worth respecting," Aldrian said to the man.

"Fortunately, I have no intention of shedding blood here. I simply want you to tell me—where is the direction of the capital?" he added, sweeping his gaze across the other troops.

"Don’t make any foolish moves. I’m still willing to tolerate your presence. Even though you’ve raised your weapons, I know none of you truly intend to fight. I just want to ask for directions, that’s all." He turned his eyes back to the leader.

"But if you do something reckless—if you attack me—the next scene will be a bloody one. So, I suggest you make a wise decision."

His eyes locked onto the leader’s, and the leader, as if drawn into the depths of Aldrian’s blue eyes, found himself unable to look away. Those eyes appeared calm, but beneath that calmness, the leader knew this man could become cruel the moment he dared to oppose him.

"I... I..." He wanted to refuse Aldrian, to declare that he would never reveal anything and would rather fight to the death. But the words refused to come out.

The will to speak was there, but his instinct to survive was even stronger. After a long moment of inner struggle, he let out a sigh and slowly raised his hand, pointing in a direction.

"You can fly west. Depending on how fast you travel and how many breaks you take, it’ll take more or less a month to reach Losaris. No matter the route, as long as you head west from here, you’ll eventually see the capital. You can also follow the road that connects this city to Losaris, though you’ll run into several guard posts along the way," he said.

He sighed inwardly. In the end, his instinct to survive was stronger, so he chose the safer path. If Aldrian was offering him a chance to live, he would take it.

Sensing that the man wasn’t lying, Aldrian gave a small nod of appreciation.

"Alright," he said, then turned his gaze to the west before suddenly vanishing.

But even after several seconds had passed since Aldrian disappeared, all the soldiers below remained tense, their weapons still raised. They stood frozen, waiting, unsure if he might suddenly return.

Only after more than thirty seconds did they finally let out a collective sigh of relief, convinced that Aldrian was truly gone.

The leader collapsed to the ground, landing heavily as his legs gave out beneath him. It felt as though he had just stepped away from death’s door. This was one of those rare moments when he genuinely felt lucky to be alive.

Reaching his level of cultivation had not been easy, he had faced countless obstacles and endured hardships. Blood and tears had marked every step of his journey, and now, in this moment, he felt as though he had passed yet another test of life.

"Truly terrifying. Absolutely terrifying. Even his presence alone makes me want to submit. He’s nothing like Lord Boris or any other cultivator—this man doesn’t need to do anything, and yet I felt like I could die at any moment," he thought.

He sighed, realizing this meant he now had a hand in the coming battle that would take place in the capital. He knew the masked swordsman intended to confront the second prince directly—that was why he wanted to go there. Even if all he did was point the way, he had still helped an enemy of the second prince reach the capital.

What would happen next, or what the future held for him, he didn’t know. But at the very least, he was still alive for now.

"I just need to report it to the capital. As for what comes after... I don’t know, and honestly, I don’t care anymore." It was the least he could do, to warn them of the disaster that was coming.

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Over the next few days, the atmosphere in the capital and nearby cities grew increasingly tense as news spread that the mysterious swordsman was already on his way. Reports had confirmed he was seen in Bermin just days ago before continuing toward the capital. In response, troops from the imperial family and several noble houses began gathering in the capital.

Some nobles even withdrew their forces from frontline battles against the rebels to redeploy them closer to the capital. However, with the teleportation stations in the capital and surrounding cities shut down, they were forced to travel by conventional means. As a result, a massive movement of troops swept across the empire, all heading in the same direction.

Even many people witnessed several flying fortresses soaring overhead, heading toward the capital. At first, there was only one, but more kept arriving, until there were five in total. The sight of such a massive military mobilization was truly something to behold, leaving many to wonder:

Was all of this really necessary just to deal with a single person? Wasn’t it an exaggeration?

The people in the capital grew increasingly anxious about what the future might hold. They had already heard of the masked swordsman’s fearsome reputation and strength, so they didn’t doubt his power—but witnessing the sheer scale of the army prepared to meet him left a very different impression. The sight of powerful troops, artifacts, and flying fortresses made it clear, this was no ordinary battle.

Meanwhile, in the imperial palace, inside his private room, the second prince stood by the window, gazing out over the city with a calm expression. At this point, he had already planned everything in detail. He was determined that when the swordsman arrived, he would not leave the capital alive.

Yes—this time, he was confident he could kill him.

What many didn’t know was that the massive army gathering in the capital served only as a distraction. The true method meant to kill Aldrian was hidden behind that overwhelming display. The second prince’s mind was far calmer now, seeing a real chance that this operation would succeed.

With the support of Cardinal Carsius, he was confident in the plan’s success.

Moreover, the second prince estimated that Aldrian would reach the capital in about three weeks—just enough time for his special artifact to be ready for use again.

With his own power and artifacts, combined with Cardinal Carsius and the support of the massive army, he didn’t believe Aldrian could escape this situation. He would make sure Aldrian’s legend ended here!

"Is it really necessary to gather all of that just to face one person? Won’t the people think you’re afraid of him, seeing nearly all the troops being pulled to the capital?" Cardinal Carsius asked from behind, seated on a sofa as he slowly swirled a glass of wine in his hand.

"We cannot underestimate that man," the second prince replied. "In order to make him lower his guard, we need to go this far and make it look like we are the weaker side. We must appear desperate, as if we had no choice but to gather forces from all across the empire. It is costly, yes, but I am willing to pay the price if it makes that arrogant bastard raise his chin a little higher—just before we crush him."