The Cyber Ascension Arc 4 | Volume 4
Chapter 37 : "The History Of Year 650 CE"
The first light of dawn had not yet touched the horizon when Jin Yuan's eyes opened.
The world was still soaked in pre-sunrise darkness—cold, silent, untouched.
He sat up slowly, the metallic clink of the stolen armor echoing faintly in the quiet camp. The armor still smelled of iron and blood from the soldier he had killed the previous night. Jin Yuan slid the gauntlets on with calm precision, every movement controlled, every breath steady.
He stepped out of the thin tent and scanned the surroundings.
Rows upon rows of tents extended into the dim blue mist. Not a single soldier stirred. Not even the wind dared to move.
Jin Yuan's voice echoed in the silence—low, cold, emotionless:
"Hmm… no one is around. I'll join the 8th row."
His tone was so calm it felt like a blade dipped in ice—like a man who had long abandoned warmth.
As he walked, a soldier from the 8th row stretched and yawned, half awake, scratching the back of his head.
Soldier: "Oi rookie, why are you so ear—"
Before the man could finish, Jin Yuan moved.
A blur of speed.
A rustle of bushes.
A heavy impact.
Jin Yuan dragged the man into the thick shrubs and drove a fist into his face, the punch so precise and forceful that the soldier spat blood instantly.
The man choked, eyes widening with terror.
Jin Yuan crouched beside him, expression cold and unreadable.
Jin Yuan: "Tell me what is the center part of First Heaven… and how to reach Queen Victoria Reona."
His voice didn't rise.
He didn't threaten.
He didn't shout.
The calmness alone made the man tremble.
Man: "Wh-Who are you? Are you a Hell soldier sent to assassinate our Queen? I—I won't tell you! I'll protect her!"
Jin Yuan watched the panic in his eyes—fear carved deep into his bones.
"Tsk… he's terrified of Hell," Jin Yuan thought, observing every twitch. "If he's this scared… telling him the truth about being from the future is impossible. I need to win his trust."
He exhaled slowly.
Then he shifted his expression just enough—softening the cruelty, keeping the coldness.
Jin Yuan: "I'm not a Hell soldier. I'm on your side. I just wanted to see the Queen… I've never seen her directly. I woke up early to sneak in. But you woke up early too, so I suspected you and punched you."
The lie was crafted with calculation, not guilt.
The man blinked, confusion shifting into sudden excitement.
Man: "Oh! I see! I'm the same! I've been waiting one whole year to see Queen Victoria Reona! I'm stuck in the 8th row because I'm weak! Today I finally gathered courage to sneak in like you!"
Jin Yuan allowed himself a faint smile—barely noticeable.
Jin Yuan: "Seems we're alike. I'm Jin Yuan. From the 9th row."
Man: "9th row?! You're new! Nice to meet you, Jin Yuan! I'm Rionaz Deaida!"
His voice was bright and energetic—so innocent that it reminded Jin Yuan of Yuzurei back on Earth.
For a moment—just a moment—Jin Yuan's expression softened.
But it vanished instantly.
Jin Yuan: "I see. Rionaz… I'm sorry for hitting you."
His words were slow, calculated, tailored for trust.
Rionaz: "No no! It's totally fine! Hey, what if we both sneak in together? I even have a strategy to help the Queen! I need to warn her—after discovering a secret about Hell!"
That made Jin Yuan's eyes sharpen.
Jin Yuan: "A secret? About Hell? Tell me."
His tone remained calm, but a storm stirred underneath.
Rionaz leaned closer, whispering urgently:
Rionaz: "Hell captured many of us… the ones they caught… they're killing them to extract the Phoenix Spheres. I want to warn Queen Victoria Reona before they target her!"
That information was crucial—dangerous.
Jin Yuan rose slowly.
Jin Yuan: "I see… then let's move. Quickly."
Both of them got up, adjusting their stolen armor pieces carefully. They slipped through the shadows, heading toward the 7th row.
A soldier turned the corner unexpectedly.
Before Rionaz could even gasp, Jin Yuan vanished from beside him—appearing behind the soldier, slicing the man's throat with a silent, clean motion.
Rionaz froze.
Rionaz: "H-How are you so strong… and still in the 9th row…!?"
Jin Yuan wiped the blood off his blade with chilling calm.
Jin Yuan: "That doesn't matter. Our goal is to warn the Queen."
They moved from row to row, slipping through blind spots, eliminating anyone who noticed them. Corpses fell silently behind bushes, shadows swallowed them, and Jin Yuan's movements were so precise that Rionaz felt like he was following a ghost.
Finally, they reached the 3rd row.
A massive castle towered above them, its silver walls glowing faintly even in the pre-sunrise dimness.
Jin Yuan: "So… this is Queen Victoria Reona's castle."
His voice held a rare hint of awe.
Rionaz: "I never thought… I'd see this castle even in my dreams. But you made it real, Jin Yuan. Thank you…"
Gratitude glowed in his eyes.
Jin Yuan only nodded quietly, letting his expression soften for a second before the coldness returned.
They stepped into the 2nd row.
What awaited them was a sea of silver armor—nine thousand elite soldiers, all armed, all disciplined, all silent.
Rionaz swallowed hard.
Jin Yuan raised a finger to his lips.
Jin Yuan: "Shh. Stay behind me. No sound. No mistakes."
Rionaz nodded shakily.
They wove through the shadows, timing their steps with the guard rotations. Jin Yuan's ability to sense footsteps, breaths, even shifts in the air felt supernatural.
When they entered the 1st row, the threat multiplied—
ten thousand soldiers, equipped in heavy silver armor and blades that reflected the faint blue dawn.
Rionaz trembled, but forced himself to stay behind Jin Yuan.
Then—
CRACK.
A small, thin stick snapped under Rionaz's boot.
Jin Yuan reacted faster than thought.
He grabbed Rionaz's collar and yanked him backward into a thick bush, the movement so fast it burned the air.
Jin Yuan: "Tch…"
He clamped a hand over Rionaz's mouth.
Three soldiers approached quickly, blades drawn, scanning the bushes. The tension was so thick it suffocated the air.
They stood still.
Motionless.
Silent.
Jin Yuan waited.
Seconds stretched like centuries.
Finally, the soldiers gave up and returned to their posts.
Rionaz exhaled, falling to the ground in relief.
Rionaz: "That… that was so close…! I thought they'd imprison us—thinking we're spies!"
Jin Yuan dusted off his armor, voice steady:
Jin Yuan: "We're not done yet. Stay behind me. No more sound."
They stepped out of the bushes.
And in the next heartbeat—
THUD!
A heavy blow struck Jin Yuan's skull.
Blood splattered across leaves.
His vision blurred instantly—
Sound faded—
Darkness swallowed him—
He collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Rionaz turned in panic.
Rionaz: "Jin Yuan—!"
But before he could finish, another strike slammed into the back of his head. He dropped beside Jin Yuan, motionless.
Boots approached.
Heavy. Metallic. Controlled.
A man stepped out from the shadows—
Silver armor gleaming,
Black eyes sharp as daggers,
Blue hair mixed with streaks of midnight black.
His presence alone felt like authority.
He didn't shout.
He didn't rage.
He simply stared at their unconscious bodies with cold judgment.
Man: "Bastards… Soldiers. Prison them."
His command cut through the quiet morning like a blade.
And so, both Jin Yuan and Rionaz were dragged away—
their mission halted,
their identities unknown,
their fate uncertain.
The history of Year 650 CE…
had just taken its first deadly turn.