The Elemental Slabs and Emperor Krent’s Fury

“The ice elemental slab has been secured!”

“Slowly now, set it down gently, right here. Perfect.”

“Let the heat dissipate first; the smoke is incredibly dense.”

All the skylights of Prison Zero had been thrown open, and Emperor Krent’s conduits frantically vented heat, releasing dense vapor that billowed outwards.

Julius and everyone else retreated from the scorching vapor, seeking temporary refuge from its intense heat.

****

“This contraption is utterly terrifying,” a young knight blurted out, unable to contain himself. “My hands were trembling the entire time I operated it.”

“No kidding,” another scoffed. “In terms of sheer power alone, it ranks among humanity’s top three creations.”

The arduous task persisted for nearly the entire day. Having arrived at dawn, they toiled until dusk, only then approaching the completion of their labor.

A collective sigh of relief escaped from everyone present.

The Aether slab, the ice elemental slab, the fire elemental slab, the psychic slab, and the earth elemental slab—all five had been successfully removed, leaving only the final wind elemental one.

“It seems it wasn’t as difficult as we’d imagined after all,” the knights, whose tension had finally eased after a day of strenuous work, quipped amongst themselves. “I’m growing increasingly adept at this.”

“It’s not so much difficult as it is getting dark,” a nearby voice remarked. “Let’s pick up the pace; we haven’t even had lunch yet.”

“True.”

With only the final slab left, the initial apprehension and unfamiliarity had given way to a practiced ease, and a sense of calm settled over the crew.

They maneuvered Emperor Krent into position, its elongated barrel locking onto the final slab.

“Lord Julius,” the operator began, a note of hesitation in their voice, “you see, the issue is…”

Six heavy chains bound Hecate, intertwining like a mass of tangled cables, obstructing their path and hindering their efforts. The final slab proved exceptionally difficult to access and cut with Emperor Krent due to her presence.

As none dared address the witch directly, they could only appeal to Julius for assistance.

“Miss Witch, if you would be so kind as to step aside,” Julius commanded. “A little cooperation now means you can settle into your new abode sooner, and find some peace.”

Hecate opened her eyes and offered a faint smile. “Of course, not a problem.”

She rose, dragging the ponderous chains, and slowly maneuvered around Emperor Krent.

A faint tapping, as if of fingernails, seemed to emanate from within the cell, yet it was utterly drowned out by the cacophony of the rattling chains.

The knight contingent, having endured a full day of unrelenting tension, now allowed their guard to drop slightly, and thus, no one noticed the barely perceptible powder clinging to Emperor Krent’s cooling veins.

“All right, for the final slab, let’s commence operation!”

A fresh, high-purity elemental crystal was inserted, and Emperor Krent’s engine roared to life one final time. The crystal’s energy was instantly siphoned, then meticulously focused into a single, intensely white beam of light.

As the beam made contact with the unyielding basalt, it emitted a sharp, sizzling sound.

Provided they could simply trace a circle around the magical seal, as they had done previously, and extract the slab, the entire undertaking would be complete.

The individual at Emperor Krent’s controls had been a novice prior to this day, yet having successfully extracted several slabs, they could now almost be considered seasoned.

Once this final slab was severed, they would undoubtedly be hailed as a legend, with ample stories to regale their comrades upon their return.

Lost in this reverie, they suddenly felt a distinct tremor emanate from Emperor Krent’s core.

“What’s going on?” Julius frowned.

Within the confines of this enclosed chamber, even the slightest anomaly from Emperor Krent became strikingly apparent.

“I-I don’t know!” the operator stammered, panic lacing their voice. “I followed the operating manual precisely!”

A subtle curve lifted Hecate’s lips, and under her unnerving gaze, the beam’s diameter abruptly doubled, growing alarmingly unstable as the entire support structure began to shudder violently.

“It appears it has no intention of drawing circles, does it?” Hecate remarked, a hint of amusement in her tone.

A sudden dread seized Julius’s heart. He unsheathed his longsword and bellowed, “Shut it down, now!”

“It’s… it’s not turning off, Lord Julius!” the operator cried out, on the verge of tears. “It’s completely unresponsive!”

It had functioned flawlessly until now; why, then, had it failed at the eleventh hour?

Their bright future, it seemed, was now irrevocably lost.

Screeeeee—!

The wild, uncontrolled beam from Emperor Krent tore straight through the very center of the magical seal, utterly obliterating the wind elemental ward.

A delicate chime~~

Within the confines of the cell, everyone seemed to hear a series of melodious sounds, crisp and clear, as if the very spirits of wind were exulting.

Hecate extended a hand, allowing a miniature vortex to coalesce upon her fingertips. The gentle wind elemental energy caressed her skin, meticulously clearing away any lingering traces of pencil dust.

From there, it gracefully coiled around her arm, then ascended her body, diligently sweeping away every speck of dust.

Concurrently, another portion of the wind elemental energy erupted with savage ferocity, compressing into tangible blades that, crackling with furious electrical charges, violently assaulted the remaining slabs.

These crackling, bluish-purple blades of wind, no less potent than Emperor Krent’s beam, instantly tore the Aether slab into fragments.

“You won’t escape!” Julius roared, drawing his gleaming sword and thrusting its keen edge forward. “Stop her!”

As one of the esteemed Royal Knights, Julius’s prowess was undeniable. Even a hasty sword strike from his hand was a force no one in Juneburg could hope to withstand.

Yet, three steps short of Hecate, he found himself utterly unable to advance. The air before him had solidified into a viscous adhesive, entrapping his sword so deeply that it was utterly immobile.

An Aether Wall, personally conjured by Hecate, proved impenetrable to his attacks.

“Raaagh!”

With a furious roar, Julius unleashed a torrent of sword light that fractured and scattered wildly, indiscriminately claiming the lives of several subordinates who were too slow to evade its reach.

Alas, beyond that tragic collateral damage, this explosive surge proved utterly ineffectual, failing even to mar the chamber itself—the prison walls, crafted from basalt, were sturdy enough to withstand attacks from even Level 90 warriors.

Hecate spared him no glance, merely surveying those who had just perished before sighing softly. “Allow me to offer a word of advice: that contraption is about to explode. If you value your lives, run as far and as fast as you possibly can.”

As if to corroborate her warning, Emperor Krent’s entire outer casing began to glow a fiery red, and the hot vapor billowing from its cooling veins intensified with every surge.

“Run!”

“Run!”

Several of the less capable men immediately cast aside their weapons and fled.

“You cowards! No deserting your post!”

Julius, incandescent with rage, wished to strike them down where they stood, yet his sword remained inextricably bound within the Aether Wall, refusing to yield.

Only a handful of loyal personal guards remained, drawing their swords and rallying by his side. “Lord Julius, we are here to assist you!”

“All of you, go!” Julius ground out, his jaw clenched.

“No, we refuse to leave!” several young knights declared, their eyes glistening with unshed tears. “We shall stand with you to…”

Before they could voice the full extent of their loyalty, Julius unleashed a furious torrent of curses upon them. “Get out, now! Take my horse and ride! Get the message out!”

‘What good would your deaths here accomplish? To merely join me in the grave?’

“Those who shouldn’t have left are gone, and those who should remain are still here,” Hecate mused, tilting her head and observing him with keen interest. “Is that not precisely what you wish to say right now?”

Her tone, her demeanor, infuriated Julius, who was already trapped in a desperate situation.

Suddenly, he felt the pressure abate, and the Aether Wall retracted, consolidating before Hecate.

‘She’s letting me go? No, that’s not right. She’s consolidating her own defenses to withstand—’

BOOM!!!!!!!!

Emperor Krent exploded.