Chapter 1618: New striker
"You may consider us another blade alongside your new sword, Renara." Serafina lifted an eyebrow, then fell silent to let Caesar mull over her words, watching him carefully as he absorbed the implication.
"Oh?" Caesar’s features shifted faintly, curiosity and calculation crossing his face. "Do you truly grasp Renara’s value to the Empire, enough to place yourselves on par with her?" He regarded her with an intensity that suggested the question was not merely rhetorical.
The Cradle Empire had ballooned in recent years, its reach swelling so rapidly that it was forced to adopt Aro’s wing system to maintain control. Even now, Caesar sheltered five Nexus States directly under his wing, not counting the two mercenary, and, of course, Renara remained apart from them all.
But who among those could he depend on in the heat of actual battle? Renara, and no one else.
The five Nexus States under his protection were skittish and cautious; they could scarcely be coaxed into overseeing open battlefields or into connecting with a far-off Nexus State without risking an all-out collapse of the army’s cohesion. You could not, in good conscience, hand them an order to assassinate another planetary emperor. They would balk.
The old label—calling them cowardly Nexus States—had not been invented without cause. Their tendency to preserve themselves above all else made them unreliable as instruments of ruthless war.
And the two hired ones? They offered little consolation. Like most contracted Nexus States, these two had fled from distant planetary sectors, escaping stains on their reputations and seeking a fresh start, employment, and safety. Yes, they would follow orders to earn their keep—but they would not stake their lives for a cause that did not personally secure their future. Their masters had issued strict directives: do not die, prioritize self-preservation; otherwise the investments poured into them would be wasted, and one of The Syndicate’s most dependable revenue streams would vanish overnight.
So what did that leave Caesar with? Renara—vengeance incarnate. To secure her unreserved support, Caesar had thrown the full weight of his backing behind her crusades; she attacked whatever front he designated with absolute, unhesitating resolve. She was the spearhead—an unrelenting shock that made neighboring powers think twice. Without her fierce contributions, the Empire would not have ascended to centennial status so swiftly.
"I am aware," Serafina said, inclining her head in acknowledgment. "I’ve read the reports—her recent raids and the devastation she left in their wake. Frankly, I believe my lady and I could match that, or even surpass it. There are two of us, after all; we can cover more ground, strike more decisively." Her tone became firmer now, the casualness gone. "You need only assess the value of our contribution correctly, and everything else will fall into place."
"...Very well." Caesar nodded slowly, weighing the risk and the promise in equal measure. "We do, in fact, need a new vanguard now that events have escalated to this point." He tapped the table a few times with measured patience. "But be clear—payment will be rendered only after the mission’s completion, and it will be proportional to how much of the objective you accomplish. Are we agreed?"
"We are agreed." Serafina acknowledged, masking the barely-contained excitement with a practiced calm as she slid a small data chip across the table toward him. "This is my Soul Society handle. Send your directives there. I will check in daily and take whatever missions you assign."
Caesar accepted the chip and slipped it into the ring at his finger, his expression showing the professional detachment of a ruler who must trust but verify. "No need to wait for formalities—there is a mission I can assign you immediately." He rose and moved to the map table, calling Serafina to his side. Placing his hand deliberately upon a point on the star-chart, he indicated a world. "This is Persin. Right now, three empires are quietly coordinating there—behind closed doors—to raise an army aimed at destabilizing and overthrowing me. Our intelligence indicates there are twenty World Cataclysms and two Nexus States present on Persin at this exact moment, and those numbers are liable to increase."
He looked up at Serafina, a hint of a smile crossing his face as if testing the mettle of his prospective allies. "I had intended to send Renara there next year, supported by a regimental force, to break their preparations. But I think this presents a perfect trial for you—to see if you can shoulder the responsibility. The minimum objectives are clear: demolish the military infrastructure, eliminate five World Cataclysms, and inflict a grievous injury on one Nexus State—one that will incapacitate him for at least a decade."
"...." Serafina’s brows drew together in a thoughtful crease. The scale of that demand gave even her pause. "That is an enormous ask for merely the two of us to undertake alone."
"It was your condition that you would operate alone," Caesar said, voice sharpening. "I didn’t make that a strict requirement to punish you, but I won’t have you conduct a token assault that only scatters them to regroup elsewhere. We must send a message with real impact. Are you prepared for that level of responsibility? If not, I will attach a battalion to your operation. And if you still refuse the assistance, then there is no point in wasting more words."
"Temper your tone—I’m thinking out loud," Serafina replied coolly, though her attention remained fixed on the map. She considered the logistics, the possible routes of attack, the intelligence gaps. After a long breath, she faced Caesar once more. "What compensation do you propose if we achieve the minimum objectives?"
Caesar extended his hand and opened all five fingers deliberately, the gesture both simple and symbolic.
Serafina’s eyes widened in immediate calculation. "Five thousand? Fifty thousand energy pearls?" she murmured, the numbers spinning in her head—long years had passed since she’d seen such sums concentrated in one place.
"Five million." Caesar closed his hand, the finality in the word ringing like a bell. "I will grant you five million immediately upon receiving verified confirmation that five World Cataclysms have been neutralized and one Nexus State has been wounded to the extent that it remains bedridden or otherwise incapacitated for at least ten years. Anything less—fall short, equivocate, or fail—and you will receive nothing."
"...."
Serafina’s expression froze in place, as if her very thoughts had been trapped in ice.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Caesar leaned forward slightly, his tone carrying the weight of unshakable certainty. "I am perfectly aware that mobilizing two Nexus States is not something that comes cheaply, but mark my words—you will not find a better price than this in any empire or syndicate. Nowhere." His brows knitted together, his voice sharpening like a blade. "And if you crave more, then earn it. For every additional World Cataclysm you bring down, I will raise your reward accordingly. And if you manage to eliminate one of those three Nexus States outright, crippling them permanently, I will hand you fifty million pearls without hesitation."
"............."
Serafina’s body went stiff, her thoughts spiraling into chaos. She didn’t even know how she was supposed to respond. Had she not sealed her lips tightly, she was certain drool would have spilled freely.
Fifty... million... pearls?
Her mind screamed in disbelief. Numbers of this magnitude were enough to topple alliances, to purchase armies, to fund entire empires. The temptation pressed on her chest like an iron weight. What kind of deal is this? By all that is tempting and forbidden, has the world gone mad?"...?" Caesar gave a dismissive wave of his hand and turned, striding back toward his throne with the casual indifference of someone who had tossed aside a mountain of treasure. "If the offer doesn’t please you, then let’s not waste more time. Forget it."
"Wait!!" The words tore themselves from Serafina’s throat before she even realized it. She exhaled a long, trembling breath, steadying herself. "...Fine. I’ll inform my lady at once, and we’ll depart immediately."
"Oh?" Caesar’s lips curled into a faint smile as he settled onto his throne once more. His voice carried both amusement and command. "Hold for a moment..."
He dipped his hand into the depths of his spatial ring, the glow of ancient runes flickering briefly as he searched. At last, he pulled forth another spatial ring and tossed it toward her with effortless grace. "Take this with you. Use it during the assault."
"Hm?" Serafina’s brow furrowed at the cryptic instruction. Yet discipline restrained her from questioning further. She caught the ring and immediately sent her soul sense within.
The instant her awareness touched what was inside, her eyes widened in shock until they nearly burst.
Within the small glimmering world of the ring lay a full set of armor designed for women—magnificent, its design elegant yet terrifying, colors shifting fluidly between obsidian black and radiant gold. No, not one—two sets.
Each set surpassed the treasured armor her lady had once given her upon reaching the Nexus State—armor she had once thought unrivaled. Now, before her, rested mid-tier epic armor sets, flawless in construction, brimming with protective formations and hidden power.
But that was not all. Dozens of talismans radiating faint light, formation scrolls humming with energy, vials of recovery pills, and rare stimulants—all perfectly arranged—lay within. The kind of provisions entire armies would fight for.
"Since you won’t be taking a battalion, you must wear the regalia of the Centennial Cradle Empire. Let the world see and tremble, let them know beyond doubt whose banner you fight beneath. That is the purpose of this strike—to burn our authority into their hearts and carve it upon their souls." Caesar’s explanation rolled out slowly, every word heavy with dominance. He leaned back against his throne, eyes glinting. "Second—you mentioned remaining hidden, yes? Then this armor shall serve you well. Each comes with a helmet that will obscure the face, conceal the aura, erase your scent, and even distort your voice. Tell me, does that cause you any objection?"
"...No. Not at all," Serafina nodded quickly, a flicker of excitement breaking through her composure. This... this will hide her lady’s identity perfectly. Not only that, but it will cloak her in strength beyond what she currently bore. Refusing was unthinkable.
Suppressing her rising exhilaration, she lowered her head slightly, her voice calm yet carrying restrained eagerness. "You will hear good news before the day’s end."
She pivoted sharply and strode toward the glowing portal at the far end of the hall. But halfway through her steps, her breath caught. Her heart skipped a beat.
Wait... did I just bow to him?