The entrance to Beauden Fortress had collapsed, trapping the shards that had rushed inside the fortress to get to Helenia’s embrace.

Brod, who watched the rubble fall until it completely covered the entrance, had caught a glimpse of the bright smile on Nerva’s face. The sight left him staring blankly at the collapsed entrance for quite a long time.

“Your Majesty!!!”

“Your Majesty!!!”

“N- No. This can’t be!!!”

The Swords of the Gods were all shocked and disconcerted by the sudden events. And the same was true for Minhyuk.

Nerva was the greatest villain during Athenae’s Second Era. He was a greedy emperor who had taken and plundered many things to establish his empire as the greatest. He was the type of person who was willing to do anything and everything that he could just to achieve his goals. But now, this man has done something completely ridiculous. He had chosen to himself for the sake of others.

Minhyuk gulped dryly as he stared at the fortress's entrance with a puzzled expression.

A massive explosion engulfed the entire fortress.

***

Right before the bomb exploded.

A sense of relief washed over Nerva as he leaned his back on the walls of the collapsing fortress. He felt so relaxed as if he had put down the heavy baggage he had been carrying.

However, Nerva’s body still trembled and shook as he looked at the switch in his hands. No one in the world was unafraid of death. And the emperor of the most significant and strongest empire was no exception to this.

The leaning Nerva slowly slid down from the fortress walls. Not too far from him, Arumbe, the mage they had been fighting earlier, was gasping and trying to catch his breath. He was looking at Nerva. The two of them could see the shards struggling to break down the small fortress made of shields that trapped Helenia inside.

Not long after, the fortress made of shields began to crack. Nerva closed his eyes and murmured, “It seems like this will be my end?”

Death would come to him soon. It might come in a few tens of seconds at the least or perhaps in a few minutes at most. The thought brought forth a complicated feeling in Nerva. He was Nerva, the greedy tyrant who plundered everyone and tried to bring the entire continent under his rule. Yet this very same emperor would end up killing himself.

Nerva hoisted himself up, murmuring, “I thought I would create an empire that would help the world become peaceful.”

He did not want to build an empire that caused wars. He wanted to build an empire that would stand at the center of the continent and prevent all wars so that he could bring peace to all of the kingdoms and empires in the world.

“I wanted to build a world where all humans would help each other in need. A world where kingdoms and empires would hold hands and be at peace.”

However, all these were just things he lamented before his death.

“One day, I realized…”

He could not create such a peaceful world. If such a strong empire existed, the kingdoms and empires would try to chip away at that empire instead of holding hands and promoting peace. So, what should he do, then?

“I thought I had to use force to pressure them.”

It was so they would not even think about taking away what was in his empire. And that was how Nerva created the Luvien Empire. However, his essence and the main reason he made such an empire grew blurred as time passed. He grew greedier the more his empire grew stronger.

He wanted to get more. He tried to stand at a higher place. His wish to create a peaceful world slowly faded away.

“I became a monster.”

It was just as Brod said. He had become a monster that could no longer turn back to how he once was.

A bitter smile flashed on Nerva’s face. He was pretty fortunate that he would have this kind of death even though he had become such a monster.

The cracks on the small fortress of shields grew larger and larger. Nerva trembled. He exhaled as he looked at the growing cracks. And with a faint smile, he raised his hand and tried to press the switch.

“That’s f*cked up.”

“...?”

An unknown voice rang in his ears. When Nerva turned to look in the direction of the voice, he saw a very familiar face. The man was standing atop the shield-made fortress and sporting a frown as he looked at the shards banging frantically on the walls that he had created.

The man jumped off of the fortress and went past the crazy shards. The fragments, who only thought of reaching Helenia’s arms, did not attack him. They did not even pay him any mind.

“It’s so revolting. I can’t stand it. You’re a monster, but in the end, you will be hailed as the unfortunate emperor who died a beautiful death. Is that what you intended to do?”This man was once a member of the Swords of the Gods’ Second Knight Order. But now, he has blended in and joined the Beyond the Heavens Empire. This man was none other than Valentino.

The relationship between Nerva and Valentino was filled with resentment and hate.

Nerva, who had already put everything down, looked at Valentino bitterly. He said, “Congratulations on successfully becoming the God of Shields.”

Even though a vassal of another empire was cursing at him, Nerva graciously forgave him and was even very understanding of his words and actions. After all, if he considered the wrongs that he had done, then it was given that this would be how he felt about him.

“You f*cking bastard. I can’t stomach this sh*t. This is so disgusting.”

Valentino, who sounded so cold-hearted then, was trying to think quickly. He had learned a lot since joining the Beyond the Heavens Empire. He had learned quite a lot while watching Minhyuk. As he watched Minhyuk, he realized why he, a single player, became the emperor who led millions of troops and was respected by all of his subjects. He was trying to think like and analyze the current situation.

Valentino knew he should not look at it with just a single perspective. He had to look at it from both sides.

Many would rejoice. That was for sure. The kingdoms, empires, and players who held death grudges and resentment against Nerva would be happy. Perhaps they would even cheer, saying, But after that? Then, what?

If the emperor of the Luvien Empire died without leaving a will, then his empire would be thrown into chaos. Perhaps cries and shrieks would ring loudly in the Luvien Empire as they tried to fight over the emperor’s throne.

Of course, the other kingdoms and empires would take advantage of this and try to trample on the Luvien Empire. First, the kingdoms and empires that had allied with them only agreed because they forced them. People like them would do anything to eat away at the Luvien Empire.

There would be no end to the war in Athenae. And the damage? The players would most likely shoulder it.

Valentino pondered deeply. He tried to imagine how he would approach the situation if he were in Minhyuk’s shoes.

This would also be a problem. Would he clean up his act and begin anew? Valentino did not know that. There was a chance that if Nerva came back alive, he would reign just like he had in the past.

Whatever choice he picked, the results would still be disastrous. So, to turn the situation in their favor, Valentino thought of a trick.

Was Minhyuk like this every single day? Did he have to go through countless situations and outcomes before he made a decision? To be honest, Valentino was in awe.

Then, he turned to Nerva and said, “If you want to apologize and have them forgive you, you must live.”

Although Valentino said those words, he wondered if Nerva would genuinely change. But what if he could suggest a way to get through this without dying? After all, it was natural for people to want to live in the first place.

Nerva also understood the situation. There was the mage, who had almost zero mana, and Valentino. There was no need for Nerva to press the button himself. The fact that there was no need for him to die started to sprout in him. This was a human’s instinct for survival.

“However…”

Was it better for Nerva to live or to die? Valentino, who had been pondering this matter, finally gave the answer he had thought of.

“Step down from your position as the emperor.”

“...!”

The thought that Valentino came up with this idea was shocking. The emperor would not die but would have to step down from his position and name another successor. If Nerva had been left to live, then he would have been able to prevent the chaos that would come in the Luvien Empire and the world.

Of course, the foundations of the Luvien Empire would be greatly shaken. After all, their emperor would suddenly be changed. They would need a period where they had to adapt. But as long as Nerva was alive, the Luvien Empire would continue to stand as a nation and maintain its processes.

The shaking of the foundation of the Luvien Empire would set the stage for the growth of the Beyond the Heavens Empire. If the Beyond the Heavens Empire took this opportunity to develop further while the Luvien Empire was still in the adaptation period, then they could create an empire comparable to Luvien.

Valentino’s solution was an idea that looked exceptionally far into the future. But that was not the end. At this moment, he had become “Minhyuk.”

“Compensate the Beyond the Heavens Empire with fifty million platinum and give them one chance to use the Luvien Empire’s Treasure House.”

Unless one was a fool, there was no way that they did not know that there were shocking items inside the Luvien Empire’s Treasure House.

“And before stepping down from your position as an emperor, sign a decree that will declare a brief cease-fire with the Beyond the Heavens Empire. And compensate me, Valentino, with a God-rank artifact made by the finest blacksmiths of the Luvien Empire.”

Valentino did not even forget to seek compensation for what he was about to do. All of the things that he asked were of enormous value.

“That’s quite a huge price for someone who would live even if they died.”

That was true. Valentino demanded all the things that were thousands of times greater than the worth of his death. However, this decision had greatly shaken Nerva’s own decision. Nerva gently caressed the switch in his hands.But the thing that helped his decision immensely was something else.

If he died now, then Brod would only see this as him running away from his sins.

“Kihyeeeeeeeck!”

“Khieeeeeeek!”

“Keuhaaaaaaack!”

The Shield Fortress was now on the verge of collapse. Nerva, who had been caressing the switch, finally made a decision. He slowly stood up and handed the switch to Valentino.

Valentino exhaled a trembling breath, thinking,

Valentino felt like he was genuinely going to die at this very moment. Then, walking toward Mage Ali, Nerva looked back at him and said, “...You have grown.”

Nerva knew the character, skills, and everything related to the knights of the Swords of the Gods better than anybody else. Although he was a tyrant, he had climbed to his position because of how observant he was.

Valentino grinned. “Because I now serve a better emperor.”

“...”

Nerva looked at Valentino for quite a while before nodding his head.

The man was completely different from him. Nerva leaned his exhausted body on Ali. Fortunately, Ali had already recovered enough MP to cast a Mass Teleport. Ali held Nerva’s hand.

Valentino knew that at this very moment, he was the protagonist of the story. He would be the one who received the attention of the entire world. The moment the notification rang, his perspective was broadcast to the screens of viewers worldwide.

When Valentino was executed in the Luvien Empire and thrown into the Prison of Indolence, many who believed in him must have grown disappointed. When he joined the Beyond the Heavens Empire, many people pointed their fingers at him and said,

But at this very moment, Valentino was the one who was most faithful to his duty.

“Kihyeeeeeeck!”

“Kihiiiiiiiik!”

“Keuhaaaaaaack!”

Everyone following his perspective saw his Shield Fortress start to crumble and collapse. And in this place where he stood alone, Valentino did what he was supposed to do. He became their shield that would protect and defend them from harm.

“I…”

The walls of the Shield Fortress slowly collapsed. The shards opened their arms wide and cackled with joy as they ran to Helenia’s arms.

“Kirerererereck!”

“Kiheeheeheehee!”“Kihyaaaaaack!”

“Kyaaaaaaaack!”

With a slight smile on his face, Valentino mumbled, “...the God of Shields.”

A massive explosion erupted and devoured the entire Beauden Fortress.