Paragon of Death

96 Chapter 95: Needs of an emperor

“The Hails have a gift which helps them stand out in this kingdom and now you possess the same gift. The more war halos you can learn the better it would be for us in the future” the son of heaven said, ignoring Damon’s cold gaze.

No kingdom is truly free from sacrifices. For an empire to grow, its people needed to remain patriotic and always remain ready to risk their lives for the sake of good.

While Damon may be young and too weak to use war halos, with his wolf side, he should be able to use them without issues. At worst, he would just have to suffer some backlashes whenever he uses it.

“How many types of war Halos do they have and what’s the difference?” Damon asked with a frown.

There is no use getting pissed over things one cannot change. E may be vexed by the way the empire uses people but since he is unable to do a thing about it now he had no reason to dwell on such thoughts.

“There are general war halos created which anyone can learn. But the true strength of a leader can be fully shown when he or she masters the true war halo tied to his affinity or pathway” Arch mage Kratos said calmly and Damon nodded in understanding.

That was all he needed to know about the war halos. His eyes shot the map on the massive table once again and he gazed at the continent. With the orcs, Dwarfs and Elves helping, their chances of winning should be higher but Damon wasn’t the type to trust.

Their kingdom was already having strong issues and minor skirmishes with the orcs, so how sure is he that these people won’t turn their back on him when the time comes?

“You don’t have to worry about your forces or allies.... Your duty is to fight. With Duke Hail and other major members of the Hail family. They dare not act too rashly” The son of heaven seemed to be able to tell what was going on in Damon’s mind and he quickly explained in hopes of dispelling such thoughts.

.....

Damon was the key to wiping out the blood clan. With Damon, the army can have the power of another war halo stacked with the others, boosting their overall strength in battle. Also, considering his strength in battle, if he manages to kill enough to help him push over to the champion realm then they will benefit even more in battle.

If Damon knew more about his true value in the eyes of these people, he would truly be making use of such an opportunity.

“I have no reason to battle more monsters or royal guards to prove myself. I want to be given some time and privacy to master everything I am meant to learn. Finally, I want to create a force of my own in the army, if you wish to have me give this my all!” Damon quickly made a few requests.

The son of heaven simply nodded and with a wave of his arm, the arch mage vanished, leaving behind just him and Damon.

“I still need a few pieces of equipment before we begin... like a Grimoire,” Damon said in a low tone and the son of heaven laughed.

“In the battle that is to come, you will serve as a temporary brigadier general... Do you think I would let a representative of this kingdom go into battle without getting properly equipped?” The son of heaven asked and Damon muttered under his breath in response.

“I can’t say for sure anymore.” Damon muttered but the Son of heaven ignored those words and continued, pulling out a few training manuals from the shelves.

“I also wish to see my girlfriend before I leave.... Maybe spend the rest of this month with her before the battle since it may be my last” Damon said while his eyes radiated with killing intentions.

After his meeting with Sol, his urge to kill Lucy has risen over time. He truly liked the girl but for the sake of everything they have worked for, she needs to die or she may actually be the reason for his death.

“That can be arranged for later... Right now all you need to focus on is mastering as many war halos as possible. The royal knight you defeated and the maid you defeated already have their lives hanging in the balance, following the rules of the royal court... They will join you and serve you well in battle” The son of heaven said, as he pulled out a handful of manuals and pushed them over to Damon.

“You always wanted to know more about the war at hand and now you know everything.... With nothing else hidden from you, I believe I have done my part... as the lone wolf, you have the most important role to play in this war... I request you put your life on the line, just to make sure this operation is a success” the son of heaven said coldly and Damon chuckled coldly in response.

“You talk like I have a choice. I am pretty much aware of how things work. If my performance is below the standard I will most likely die in battle. As I am a major piece, I will also be a major target... even if I survive, I can’t come back here. Facing you will be no different from facing death... You shouldn’t go around. Fooling young boys into believing they have a choice around you. I don’t think that’s fair” Damon said calmly and the son of heaven frowned.

Of all his centuries of ruling, Damon is the first person that didn’t fear him, outside the long list of guardian spirit hosts he had killed during his time. Only those people had the guts to gaze at him in the eyes and fear nothing. If it wasn’t for the fact that the arch mage has done his investigations on Damon, the emperor would have assumed Damon was a guardian spirit host already and probably would have attacked him by now.

“Do you believe in reincarnation?” The son of heaven suddenly asked and Damon frowned.

Life after death has been a major issue which has led to the early demise of countless powerful cultivators. Many quickly turned to this at the ending of their lives, each searching for the secrets to immortality in hopes of living forever but none have succeeded.

Reaching the spirit realm simply improves one’s lifespan by a handful of centuries but that’s just it. For someone to live longer they have to keep growing in strength and shedding away their mortality.

This is no easy task.

“I believe after death comes eternal rest. Once I’m done struggling for the unknown in this world, once I die, I finally get to rest and leave everything behind. Isn’t that beautiful?” Damon asked and the son of heaven frowned.

This is the first time he has come across someone who actually wants to die for good. Practically everyone in the royal court, including the son of heaven would be more than willing to take on the entire continent alone if they find clues to immortality so he found it extremely strange but this also cleared a few doubts in his mind.

Only someone who does not fear death can play the roles which the empire requires. That is why he values the little boy a lot.

“But of course, that’s why you want me here. You need someone who wouldn’t be afraid to throw away his life for what he believes in. The perfect plaything” Damon said slowly with a blank look on his face.

“More like the perfect weapon.... That is what I need.... It is time we humans tipped the scales of existence on this continent! It is time we become the dominant species... I need to know that I have someone capable by my side” the son of heaven said without fear.

In this world strength is the thing that matters the world. As he has the strength now, he can enforce his will on others and have them act to his benefit. Damon was just one of many pawns he could choose to control.

“If you need such powerful allies, then you need to change your circle... Right now you only have nobles willing to come around now things are good... when things go south are you sure they will be willing to remain by your side?” Damon asked with a raised eyebrow and the son of heaven frowned.

Even though he didn’t like this man, he could openly declare his respect for this powerful figure. The man the people have been serving all this while is a normal man who pushed his strength to a level where even someone with the power of a cosmic spirit like Kratos had no choice but to submit to him.

Damon can do a lot of things but he can never underestimate an enemy. Right now, many may not know but this man will definitely become one of his greatest enemies in life.