Village Head's Debauchery
Chapter 1160: Renewed Hope Of The Bastion Of Ashen Hope

Chapter 1160: Renewed Hope Of The Bastion Of Ashen Hope

[ Energy Level - 4,900 BEM. ]

[ Energy Level - 4,989 BEM. ]

[ Energy Level - 4,978 BEM.]

Orion was also curious about their gills but decided to put the matter at the back of his mind for another time.

Knight Darian and the others quickly spotted Orion's arrival and rushed forward to meet him.

"Great warrior," Knight Darian greeted with a respectful bow.

The Arch-knights also did the same, their eyes fixed on Orion curiously, wondering if he was as terrifying as the two elder couples who had taken the entire bastion hostage. After all, he was their leader.

Orion nodded. "Take me to them," he said, getting straight to the point.

Knight Darian inwardly sighed in relief as he was too nervous to begin a conversation. He nodded silently and turned around, gesturing to the Arch-knights to follow suit as he led the way into the volcanic canyon.

Orion followed closely behind as they navigated the many twists and turns within the labyrinthine canyon. The earth was dark, and a perpetual mist of ash suspended in the water column, reducing visibility. However, this didn't hinder their vision or speed, as though they were already familiar with the path ahead.

Soon, they passed through a powerful barrier that separated the water from the space within. The ground was littered with sharp shards of volcanic glass, and the walls were streaked with scorching lava flows, radiating immense heat that made each second feel like being stuffed into a furnace.

"There are traps laid everywhere, so please just follow-" Knight Darian abruptly stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening in shock at the sight behind him.

Orion was hovering in the air, following them from above. He quickly activated the One- Winged Sky Arts, lifting Knight Darian and the three Arch-knights into the air to follow him. Initially, they were stunned by the sudden turn of events but swiftly understood it was Orion's doing.

"You can point out the fastest route from here, and I'll take us there," Orion said, not wanting to waste any more time.

Knight Darian nodded firmly and pointed in the direction they needed to go. Without hesitation, they flew towards it.

Orion, Knight Darian, and the others crossed over a molten crevasse on natural stone bridges above rivers of flowing, cooled lava and an ashen plain where the ground was covered in a thick, dark grey layer of volcanic ash. The entire plain was dotted with skeletal remains.

Soon, they arrived at a fortress built into the side of a towering cliff carved from the black stone of the canyon itself. They halted before the Bastion's large, magically reinforced entrance gate.

The gate stood over forty meters high, and the cliff walls were lined with defensive fortifications, with numerous soldiers on the lookout. When they arrived, the soldiers noticed Orion and Knight Darian and quickly sent word to their superiors.

After two minutes, the gate was pulled open, and Brane and Zara walked out, followed by a hulking figure about 8 feet (2.4m) tall.

It was Gaverick, the former Emperor of the Bastion of Ashen Hope.

Gaverick's gaze was fixed on Orion, scrutinising him from head to toe as they approached.

"Supreme Leader," Brane and Zara greeted respectfully.

Orion nodded and turned his attention to Gaverick. "Is he the one?" he asked, his tone curious.

Brane and Zara had already informed him of everything during the Bastion of Wailing Gnarled migration, so there was no need for further discussion. He was simply here to open a gate to the Golden Palace.

Brane nodded, gesturing toward Gaverick.

"I am Gaverick, the former Emperor of the Bastion of Ashen Hope," Gaverick stepped forward to introduce himself, then stepped back.

Orion scrutinised Gaverick for a moment, then nodded. "Let's go and complete what we came here for," he said.

Brane nodded and led the way into the fortress alongside Zara. Orion followed behind them. Knight Darian greeted Gaverick with a wry smile, gesturing for him and the Arch-knights to go first.

Gaverick snorted in response and followed. His eyes remained fixed on Orion, his mind racing with thoughts.

Knight Darian sighed and followed them inside as the large fortress gate shut behind him.

Gaverick was an orphan, a common title in the dreaded ocean. While other orphans possessed extraordinary evolutionary traits, granting them gills and enhancements capable of withstanding the crushing depths, he was just human-plain and unremarkable.

That is until he received his first void heart and awakened the Absolute Heart Flame, a rare lineage passed down from the founder of the Bastion of Ashen Hope, one of the greatest human warriors in the ocean depths.

Without hesitation, the Bastion conscripted him into its ranks, as anyone capable of wielding the founder's lineage was guaranteed a higher rank in the army. However, the power the Absolute Heart Flames granted was raw and unrefined.

Compared to his peers, Gaverick was still weak. But he refused to falter. He poured his soul into studying strategy, learning battle tactics, and mastering the nuances of warfare.

His strategic mind and ability to anticipate enemy movements earned him a small but loyal following. His unit, composed of outcasts and overlooked warriors like himself, grew to a thousand strong, united by a shared desire to prove their worth.

Their chance for glory came when they were assigned to join an assault mission on one of the Harbingers. Gaverick meticulously planned the operation, drilling his men rigorously until they were exhausted but prepared.

However, no amount of preparation could have readied them for the Harbinger's overwhelming power. The battle was a massacre; the entire assault team, including his unit, was decimated within mere seconds.

Gaverick was the only survivor.

He dragged his battered body back to the Bastion, expecting to be met with ridicule, shame, and scorn. But instead, he was met with something strange and unexpected: admiration. They hailed him as a hero, the man who had stepped into the domain of a Harbinger and returned.

To the people, he had accomplished a legendary feat by strength and luck alone. Their admiration gladdened his once troubled heart.

Encouraged to prove himself worthy of their praise, the intensity of his training increased. New warriors flocked to him, hoping to be a part of his next heroic venture. Again, he led his ranks into battle against the Harbinger, only to face the same devastating outcome.

Once more, he returned, battered and crushed, expecting scorn. But again, the Bastion hailed his return, celebrating his survival as though he had won.

At that moment, Gaverick realised something. He understood that he wasn't a hero because he defeated the enemy but because he returned, reminding them of hope. The people were holding onto the ashes of past heroes, clinging to the dream that someone-anyone-might someday save them from their dreadful plight.

It was hilarious! Gaverick laughed.

They didn't need victory; they needed only the symbol of it.

After all, a speck of flame holding its own against a terrifying ocean storm could be considered a powerful flame.

On his next mission, Gaverick abandoned any idea of conquering the Harbinger forces.

Instead, he fought simply to reduce the tainted, knowing that every weakened enemy and harvest brought hope closer for the Bastion. His actions inspired others, who soon began

doing the same.

However, they failed miserably. Gaverick alone succeeded consistently. As his skill grew, so did his pride and obsession with strength, and soon, they began to take root in his heart. Gaverick understood that the burden of this role was his to bear, and with every return, he stoked the flickering flame within his heart. As years passed, his fame grew. He rose through the ranks, becoming the de facto leader of the Bastion of Ashen Hope forces.

His love life was ignited. His unit had grown exponentially into a feared battalion. He was offered titles, honours, and the people's loyalty. In time, he claimed the seat of power as the new Emperor of the Bastion of Ashen Hope.

However, after receiving the mysterious travellers and witnessing their terrifying strength, despite the failed plan that had cost him everything, Gaverick reflected upon his entire life for

the second time.

....

"Is this everyone?" Orion asked, standing in an arena, his eyes fixed on the massive gathering

of the entire citizenry of the Bastion of Ashen Hope, mainly comprised of humans, followed

by nymphs, Prismerions, Merfolks, and other distinct races.

Brane directed the question to Gaverick.

"Yes, this is everyone," Gaverick responded with a firm nod. Standing beside him were his two wives, the former queens, and behind him were the high advisors, except Raydon, the fourth- seat high advisor, and Cora, the second-seat high advisor, whose statuses were currently

unknown.

Although unsure about what had happened to them, they had all accepted their fate under the opponent's terrifying strength. Their attention was fixed on the Supreme Leader, and they wondered how he would transport this many people to Paradise and its location.

Paying no attention to their gazes, Orion removed the golden key from his pocket and placed it within an invisible lock in the folded space before him, repeating his previous actions.