Chapter 1145: By Decree Of Strength


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    Aurora gave an order to the headless winged spawn, and in an instant, they vanished. Aurora turned to Zale and released him from his restraints.


    Zale copsed to the ground, unable to stand on his quivering legs, and took several deep breaths to calm his racing emotions.


    ....


    Zale was born from the affair of amon maid who once served under the master of one of the Tidal Depths Kingdom''s influential noble houses. The man was powerful and deeply respected, but he recklessly sowed his seed among many of his servants.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Their affair was a secret she kept hidden, clutching it to her heart even when she was cast out of the household after he learned of her pregnancy. Zale grew up with his mother alone, and she spun stories of his father''s honour, influence, and strength.


    She called him noble, but he was anything but.


    Zale was young and naive, so he clung to these stories. As they filled his heart, so did his desire to be a son his father could be proud of. If asked whether it was worth sacrificing everything—childhood, joy, andpanionship-just to gain strength, to be better than the man his mother swore his father was, his answer would always be:


    Yes!


    When he came of age and acquired his first voidheart, he swiftly joined the Tidal Depths Kingdom''s forces, seeking to climb the ranks and earn the qualifications to meet his father and showcase his achievements.


    Years passed, and he finally petitioned for an audience with his father. Upon his arrival at the noble household, he was met with indifferent faces and sceptical stares. His father was nothing like the man his mother had described. He was cruel, showing no recognition of him. "One day, he will see you, and he will be proud," his mother had said.


    Zale held on to his mother''s words and continued seeking his father''s recognition. Only one of his father''s wives greeted him with the motherly warmth and kindness he had longed for, and he swiftly fell under her care.


    However, things spiralled out of control. One night, his father was found dead, and the me was cast quickly on him. His kind stepmother wept and used him of ambushing the man he once wished to honour. That''s when he saw her true face.


    The rest of the family moured for his blood, but he managed to escape. Unfortunately, the news quickly spread, and a bounty was ced on his head, forcing him to flee back home to hide.


    When he returned, his mother, heartbroken upon hearing the events, revealed her obsession with loving a man who had never loved her. She had moulded Zale to grasp something she could never attain.


    In her grief, she cursed him in a fit of rage and took her own life.


    Zale was left broken. Soon after, news arose that his stepmother had taken control of the noble household and brought in a lover. But her ns were quickly thwarted by one of his father''s brothers, who was a far more powerful man who swiftly uncovered the truth, avenged his brother''s death, and cancelled the bounty on Zale''s head.


    He offered Zale a ce in his household and promised to support his growth within the Tidal Depths Kingdom''s ranks. Despite losing everything and bing a hollow shell of himself, he epted the offer, choosing to prove that he could be more than his father, a better man than the one his mother had lied about.


    He wanted to show that he was far more capable, to the point where there would be noparison.


    If Zale was asked whether it was worth sacrificing everything-joy, peace, andpanionship—to be better than the man his mother had sworn his father was, his answer would always be undoubtedly:


    Yes!


    ....


    Zale shivered, sensing the mysterious woman''s piercing gaze on him. Even when facing knights and the powers far beyond his reach, which he could only dream of attaining, he had never encountered such an overwhelming defeat, where his opponent barely lifted a hand and was already subdued before he could even draw his weapon.


    ''What realm of strength is this?'' Zale thought.


    "I need you to deliver a message to King Izak. I would have done it myself, but it wouldn''t be proper etiquette," Aurora said calmly.


    Zale raised his head, briefly turning to look at Aurora. He swallowed hard, then nodded. "...I will... help you deliver the message," he replied.


    Though he wasn''t sure why she wanted to meet with the King here, her actions showed her intentions. She sought to take over the Tidal Depths Kingdom. Zale didn''t doubt her capability. In fact, he doubted whether even the hidden figures within the Kingdom, those with power surpassing the knights, could stop her.


    Aurora nodded and turned her gaze away from Zale. However, noticing he still hadn''t moved from his position, she halted and narrowed her eyes at him.


    "You are free from your restraints. You may leave immediately," Aurora said.


    Zale regained hisposure and ced both hands on the ground. Then, astonishingly, he pressed his head firmly against the earth and spoke loudly, "...Great Warrior, how do I be as strong as you?!"


    His words stunned Aurora. Even Iris looked at him in disbelief, ncing at him once more.


    Aurora stared at him, remaining silent. She sensed his sincerity and knew he had no hidden motives. Yet, she wasn''t sure what had driven him to ask such a question. She was tempted to read his memories.


    After a brief pause with no response, Zale added, "Please, I''ll do anything you want if you share this knowledge with me." He tightened his fists and gritted his teeth, awaiting their


    reply.


    Finally, Aurora responded, "You can''t be as strong as I am. A mortal''s body cannot fathom the kind of strength I possess." She paused, observing him curiously, waiting for his


    reaction.


    ''A strength beyond what a mortal''s body can hold,'' Zale muttered under his breath. His eyes remained fixed on Aurora before shifting to Iris. "What about her? How can I be as strong as she is?" His fists clenched tightly, blood seeping from them.


    "You can''t," Aurora said, shaking her head again. "She has surpassed the limits of mortal constraints. But if you''re truly intent on your desire, I''ll tell you how to achieve your goal. The only way to be as powerful as she is to receive the blessing of a divine being."


    Her words echoed in Zale''s ears like crashing waves copsing upon one another.


    Aurora''s words bewildered Zale. Soon, his expression morphed into realization and shock as he shifted his gaze between her and Iris.


    Who would have thought the two individuals they brought into the Tidal Depths Kingdom were divine beings?


    Zale swiftly pressed his head against the ground again, hurriedly saying, "Goddess, please bless me!" His voice was tinged with excitement and nervousness.


    Aurora furrowed her brows, frowning as she realized that her words had helped Zale recognize her identity. Though she wasn''t concerned about revealing herself, having made no effort to hide it, as it would be helpful when confronting the Tidal Depths Kingdom, she acknowledged it would be bothersome if revealed too early.


    "I can''t because you are not worthy of my blessing," Aurora responded, shaking her head.


    She was still training with her mother and hadn''t fully learned theplex process of creating a Divine Apostle crest, so she couldn''t make anyone her divine apostle yet. Even if she could, she would never choose someone with such low strength who hadn''t pledged


    allegiance to Paradise.


    "But," Aurora continued, "if the entirety of the Tidal Depths Kingdom chooses to pledge their loyalty to Paradise, then you can grow just as powerful."


    Zale''s face paled, only to brighten again as Aurora finished speaking.


    "Thank you, goddess! Thank you... thank you..." Zale said, repeatedly raising and pressing his


    head to the ground in reverence toward Aurora. He wasn''t sure what this ''Paradise'' was, but he didn''t care. All that mattered to him was getting stronger.


    Zale stood up and bowed. "I will deliver the message to the King immediately and ensure I gather as many as I can pledge their allegiance to Paradise!" he dered.


    As a divisionmander, he was confident he could convince many. Without hesitation, Zale turned around and ran as fast as he could, a crazed smile spreading across his face. Aurora watched as he disappeared from view, deep in thought. She had only said those words to make him willingly pledge his allegiance to Paradise and to see if, due to his position, he could convince others to do the same. Having someone work for her from within the enemy''s ranks was a clever strategy to hasten their assimtion to Paradise.


    Iris, however, looked bewildered, unsure how to react to the scene that had just unfolded


    before her.


    Aurora turned her focus to the side.


    At that moment, a tree nymph knelt on the ground, weeping profusely, while an armoured


    man stared nkly into the air, his injuries mysteriously healed despite the countlessshes he had endured.