NOVPUB
Chapter 416: 416
He set her down carefully, his massive frame towering over her. His clawed hand tilted her chin upward, forcing her to meet his gaze. The weight of his presence bore down on her, yet there was a strange, almost gentle acknowledgment in his movements.
"Rise," he commanded, his voice resonating with a power that shook the walls of the colosseum. Yuki staggered to her feet, her body trembling but no longer broken. She glanced around, taking in the sea of bowed heads, the palpable worship directed at the two of them.
A smile, slow and dangerous, curved her lips. She loosened her tattered kimono, letting it slip from her shoulders. The crowd stirred, their gasps and murmurs a mixture of reverence and awe. Yuki took a step toward Björn, her bare form illuminated by the eerie glow of his aura.
Björn’s claw traced along her jawline, tilting her head slightly as if examining her. His booming voice echoed across the colosseum, each word dripping with finality. "My queen."
The collective gasp of the Björn was deafening, their devotion deepening into fanatical worship. Björn straightened, his wings folding behind him as he addressed his people. "Prepare yourselves," he commanded. "Tonight, you celebrate the birth of a new order. A queen to guide you. A prince to carry my will. The war to end all wars begins anew."
Yuki’s laughter rang out, sharp and melodic, as she stepped closer to Björn. The crowd erupted once more, their cries a frenzied hymn to their god and his chosen queen.
A low growl rumbled through the colosseum, emanating from the people of Björn themselves. It began as a single, guttural sound, then multiplied, spreading like wildfire through the stands. The
growls morphed into snarls, then into howls of primal hunger. The reverence that had gripped them moments before shattered, replaced by a raw, unrestrained frenzy.
This was no longer a colosseum; it was a bedlam of raw instinct, a temple of depravity consecrated by their god’s presence. The people of Björn, driven to the peak of their feral nature by Björn’s very essence, began to enact their own twisted ritual, mirroring the divine union before them.
They tore at their garments, shedding the pretense of civility as their bodies twisted and contorted in fits of ecstasy. Some clawed at the earth, drawing symbols in their own blood, while others locked themselves in savage embraces, their howls merging with the deafening roar of the arena.
A Björn in the front row, his face smeared with dirt and blood, threw his head back and screamed, a piercing cry that carried the fervor of the crowd to its zenith. The others joined in, their voices rising as one in a chaotic, discordant hymn. They began to mimic the divine union before them, their movements a grotesque parody of the god and queen’s interaction. Couples formed and dissolved in moments, their bodies colliding with animalistic ferocity as if the act itself were an offering to their deity.
Blood and sweat glistened under the crimson-hued sky, the metallic tang of it filling the air. The colosseum floor became a chaotic mosaic of writhing bodies, broken chains, and discarded weapons. The people of Björn abandoned all reason, succumbing to the primal instincts that Björn’s presence had unleashed.
In the center of it all, Björn and Yuki remained untouched by the chaos, their union a towering beacon of depravity and divine power. Björn’s crimson gaze swept across the arena, his expression one of cruel satisfaction. His wings unfurled, casting a shadow that engulfed the frenzied masses below.
Yuki, emboldened by her newfound status, tilted her head back and laughed—a sound both haunting and triumphant. She stretched out her arms, welcoming the madness that surged around her. "You see?" she called, her voice slicing through the din. "This is his gift! This is our gift! Chaos unbound! Worship unchained!"
The Björn responded with renewed fervor, their cries and howls reaching an almost unbearable pitch. Fights broke out among them, each combatant seeking to prove their devotion through blood and brutality. They tore at one another with claws and teeth, their bodies breaking and mending in grotesque displays of resilience.
Björn watched, his massive form radiating power as he raised a clawed hand. The crowd stilled momentarily, their bloodied faces turning to him with wide, adoring eyes. "Enough!" he thundered, his voice shaking the very ground beneath them. "Your devotion pleases me. Your chaos feeds me. But now..." He gestured to Yuki, who stood beside him, glowing with an almost ethereal light. "...You will honor your queen."
The people of Björn fell silent, their eyes fixed on Yuki. Slowly, they lowered themselves to their knees, their frenzy giving way to a reverent stillness. One by one, they bowed their heads, their bodies trembling with a mixture of awe and fear.
Björn turned to Yuki, his lips curling into a cruel smile. "You have their worship," he said, his voice low but heavy with meaning. "Now show them why you deserve it."
Yuki stood amidst the silent colosseum, her gaze sweeping over the crowd of Björn who knelt before her in reverence. The primal chaos that had consumed the arena moments ago was now replaced by an eerie, anticipatory stillness. She adjusted her kimono with slow, deliberate movements, but her hand lingered on her stomach, her fingers brushing the spot where something now stirred—something new, something most mortal will refer to as divine.
The Lion General, who had moments before been Björn’s vessel, knelt before her. His once-confident gaze was clouded with confusion, as though the events that transpired were but fragments of a half-remembered dream. Yet that confusion quickly faded, replaced by a look of unshakable loyalty. He bowed his head low, his voice trembling with conviction. "My queen," he murmured, the words carrying the weight of absolute devotion.
The sound of wings slicing through the heavy air drew the attention of the gathered Björn. Finn descended gracefully, his powerful frame folding into a reverent kneel before Yuki. His eyes, usually sharp and calculating, were now soft with awe. But his focus was unwavering, fixed solely on her stomach. The way his gaze lingered spoke volumes—he didn’t need to say a word. His posture alone conveyed his understanding, his acceptance of the profound shift in power.
Yuki’s lips curled into a small, knowing smile. She could feel it—the faint pulse of something growing within her. Björn’s essence had not left; it had transformed, rooting itself deep inside her. She was no longer just a queen to these people. She was the vessel of their god’s will, the bridge between mortal chaos and divine insanity.
Olaf, leaning casually against a broken pillar, was the only one who didn’t kneel. His expression was as unreadable as ever, but there was a glint in his eye, a flicker of something that might have been approval—or perhaps just amusement. He had always been a wildcard, a wolf that chose his own path. And yet, even he couldn’t help but glance at her stomach, the faintest smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.
"This changes everything," he said, his voice low but filled with anticipation. "I look forward to seeing what you do next, my queen."
Yuki exhaled slowly, her hand never leaving her stomach. She turned her gaze to the crowd, her crimson eyes gleaming with newfound authority. The silence stretched, heavy with expectation. Finally, she spoke, her voice carrying the weight of Björn’s chaos and her own rising power.
"Rise," she commanded, her tone sharp yet regal. "The chaos of this kingdom will no longer be aimless. Together, we will forge it into something unstoppable. A force that even the heavens will fear."
The Björn rose as one, their collective roar shaking the very foundation of the colosseum. It was not the sound of mindless beasts, but of soldiers ready to march, of zealots ready to die for their queen.
Yuki’s hand fell to her side, and she turned her gaze to Finn and the Lion General. "Prepare the city. The age of chaos begins today, and we will lead it to glory."
The Lion General thumped his chest in salute. "Your will is our command, my queen."
Finn nodded, his wings spreading wide. "It will be done."
As they dispersed to carry out her orders, Yuki turned to Olaf, her smile sharpening. "And you, Olaf? Will you stand with me in this new age?"
Olaf chuckled, his arms crossing casually over his chest. "I’ve already made my choice, Yuki. Let’s see if you can keep things interesting."
Yuki let out a soft laugh, her crimson gaze turning toward the blood-red sky. The air was thick with the scent of iron and the promise of change. She could feel Björn’s essence stirring within her, urging her forward.
Far to the south, in his secluded chamber, Murmur’s face remained impassive. After centuries of navigating the treacherous currents of this world, he was rarely surprised. Plans, he had learned, were ephemeral things, constantly shifting and morphing, rarely surviving contact with reality unscathed. Every carefully laid scheme had been countered, hindered, or outright shattered.
