"This terrain is truly treacherous... No wonder all previous Imperial expeditions here ended in failure." Standing high in the sky, Selene gazed down at the land below, marveling at its chaotic and varied geography.
Unlike the tribes that had developed on the alluvial plains seventy to eighty kilometers beyond Yule Mountain Pass, this massive western tribe was hidden deep within the mountains—remote and far beyond ordinary reach.
After crossing the plains and dense shrubs, the terrain shifted rapidly—karst formations, rising plateaus, small dunes, folded mountains, rainforests... a bewildering mixture of landscapes, one after another.
It defied all logic. So many disparate terrains, all crammed together—it was as if the gods themselves had carved this land in whimsy.
According to the maps provided by the Governor of Patripol Province, Selene had flown nearly four hundred kilometers already. Not only had she seen no sign of a major tribe, but not even a medium-sized one—only clusters of small settlements scattered throughout.
"At this distance, how do they even think about raiding the Empire's lands?"
Selene could now understand why, even at the Empire's height, these lands were never incorporated. The region was barren and worthless—utterly unprofitable.
Everyone knows the shortest path between two points is a straight line. But since not every Imperial soldier was a Teigu user—or someone like Selene herself—it was impossible for them to cross such complex terrain directly. They would have to take long, winding routes through what flat ground they could find. The journey would take an eternity.
And since the Empire relied primarily on horse-drawn carriages for transport, the combination of vast distances, treacherous roads, and the occasional rampaging Danger Beast made the journey even worse.
Aside from providing the occasional exotic meat or rare local materials, the Empire gained no real benefit from controlling these lands. To maintain dominion would require endless resources each year.
To rule meant building fortresses, garrisoning troops, and stationing officials—all costly undertakings. Yet local agriculture couldn't sustain itself, and with poor trade routes and enormous transport losses, merchants were unwilling to come. Nearly every resource would have to be supplied by the Imperial treasury.
If ten sacks of grain were sent, eight would be consumed on the way. What could be done? Nothing—it was hopeless.
And to make matters worse, this region was infamous for producing rebellious subjects—the southwestern tribes.
With their constant uprisings, the Imperial army—trained for open-field combat on the plains—found itself helpless in this rugged terrain. Their heavy armor became a burden, their numbers an obstacle, their powerful siege weapons useless.
Meanwhile, the mountain-dwelling tribes moved like wind and shadow—swift and sure-footed. Their guerrilla tactics tormented the Empire without end.
Eventually, the Empire gave up entirely, constructing a great fortress between the border mountains to seal off contact completely—cutting the southwestern tribes off from the outside world.
In the words of the Emperor at the time, it was likely something like: "Fine! I don't want this cursed land anyway! And you lot aren't getting out! I'm done playing with you savages!"
"Hm? There it is."
Continuing onward, Selene finally sensed it—a massive concentration of life signatures after soaring over yet another range of folded mountains.
So many life forces clustered together... there was no mistaking it. Only a human settlement of significant scale could generate such readings.
Flying lower, she noticed the air grow damp and heavy. The sweltering heat of the outer desert faded, replaced by warmth and moisture. The barren exterior gave way to lush, vibrant life.
It was a rainforest—dense with the scent of rot and decay. The air was thick and humid, sunlight filtering through layers of tangled leaves to dapple the jungle floor.
The trees grew wildly tall and close, their vines and roots intertwined into natural barriers.
"It should be just ahead." Suspended midair, Selene could clearly sense tens of thousands of life forms gathered deep within the rainforest.
Mercy toward the enemy is cruelty toward oneself. Against one's foes, one must be as cold as winter.
"Well then," she murmured, eyes narrowing with anticipation. "It's time for an experiment... Though we share no personal grudge, becoming my test subjects—my stepping stones to greater power—should be considered an honor."
Opening her storage space, Selene's eyes gleamed as she gazed upon the rows of green-gray, conical warheads inside.
After so long, the experiment she had yearned for was finally about to begin.
The outer layer bore a convex yellow-and-black arc, while the inner layer was concave—together forming a triskelion-like emblem. In this moment, that symbol looked utterly terrifying.
Each nuclear warhead required an authorization lock and a key, with multiple coded sequences before it could be armed. But Selene needed none of that.
Strong Nuclear Force Manipulation!
She could directly manipulate the uranium-235 or plutonium-239 inside the warheads, forcing them into reaction by sheer will.
The previous test in the southern outskirts of the Imperial Capital—when she had used Honkai energy to induce a forced nuclear transformation—had also been an experiment. Back then, lacking proper energy calibration, she had nearly blown the capital off the map.
This time, the southwestern tribes would serve as her test subjects. The nuclear warheads she had obtained from Russia were the perfect teaching material.
Through this experiment, Selene would also study the aftereffects of a nuclear detonation—radiation, fallout, and their biological impact.
It was troublesome, really. Every power required practice to master—but Selene's abilities were difficult to train with. Their destructive potential was simply too catastrophic.
"Well then, let's begin the experiment. Warhead one... two... three..."
Floating midair, she moved her fingers slightly. Each motion caused one warhead to vanish.
Ignoring the terrified screams below—panic spreading among the southwestern tribes as the strange conical objects appeared out of thin air—Selene continued her work. With Spatial Teleportation, she positioned each warhead at precise coordinates around the tribal city, forming a wide encirclement.
They would all explode. Best to use them all, Selene thought with a touch of grim mercy. Let these people vanish without feeling pain.
"...Seventeenth warhead."
After placing the last one, Selene pressed her palms together.
"Art is—"
Beep!
Under her direct manipulation, the heavy atomic nuclei within the bombs bypassed every layer of safety protocol and triggered an instantaneous chain reaction. That sharp tone heralded the extinction of countless lives.
"—Explosion!"
In the next instant, the southwestern tribal city was engulfed in seventeen blinding spheres of light.
Seventeen suns erupted upon the earth, merging in less than half a second into one colossal fireball several kilometers in radius—like a newborn star descending to the ground, devouring the rainforest in its entirety.
No screams. No escape.
When this second sun appeared beneath the heavens, every living being within its reach was annihilated.
Whether man-made structure or natural creation—before the sun, everything disintegrated at a touch. The grand walls and fortifications were nothing but a joke.
The fireball expanded rapidly, sweeping the land and bursting skyward.
BOOOOM!!!
The sun erupted again—its light and heat spreading outward in all directions, consuming everything within dozens of kilometers.
The incomprehensible shockwave ripped forests and mountains from the ground. In this world-ending detonation, everything seemed small—insignificant.
The rising thermal blast condensed into a towering cloud—first a billowing crown, then a massive mushroom shape.
The explosion produced a mushroom cloud twenty kilometers wide and forty kilometers tall.
For a moment, the entire world fell silent. Only the endless roar of the explosion remained.
The earth trembled. The world screamed.
Even four hundred kilometers away, where Imperial forces were assaulting another southwestern tribe, soldiers could see the magnificent mushroom cloud.
Whether Imperial Guards or local garrison troops, all stared in terror at the sight towering higher than the southwestern mountain range. The intense glare blinded many temporarily, while the deafening thunder left their ears ringing.
Blazing red light filled the sky, dyeing the entire southwest in fire. The area around ground zero was brighter than day itself.
The Imperial garrison troops stood frozen, eyes wide with disbelief, gazing at the apocalyptic spectacle.
Even the battle-hardened veterans of the 8th Imperial Guard Legion—who had once witnessed the southern explosion—were stunned anew by this display of ultimate destruction. No matter how many times they saw it, the sheer divine might of Selene's power shook them to the core.
"No matter how many times I see it... it truly lives up to its name—General Selene's ultimate technique, 'God's Wrath.' That power... we are simply not of the same dimension."
The officer clad in the uniform of the Imperial Guard, Kinshasa, spoke with awe.
Since Selene had made no effort to conceal it—and with Honest and Budo's influence at court—her improvised attack that had caused the southern Imperial explosion, dubbed 'God's Wrath,' had spread far and wide.
Though some wondered why this blast burned crimson instead of violet, the towering mushroom cloud, the blinding light, and searing heat left no doubt—it was the same technique.
"Phew..." Kinshasa exhaled slowly, then turned toward the still-standing southwestern tribal stronghold nearby. His voice hardened. "Order: continue the assault!"
"B-but, Captain... do we still need to attack now?"
A provincial officer standing behind him looked pale, glancing nervously at the inferno raging in the distance.
"Don't panic! The blast won't reach us. The General has everything under control!"
He clenched his fists. If his guess was right, the other major southwestern tribe had already been reduced to ash.
Now was their chance. The campaign had reached its final stage, yet so far only the supreme commander had achieved decisive victories. The subordinates, by comparison, had barely made a mark.
Unacceptable.
This was about pride—about the honor of the Imperial Guard.
"We must seize this last stronghold before the General returns!" Kinshasa roared.