34. Prophet Velen’s Boundless Zeal

The demons arrived quickly.

Almost as soon as the first wave of fully loaded Naaru ships set sail, reports of mass fel portal activity emerged on the fringes of Mac'Aree.

With the mass evacuation underway, the Nathrezim spies hiding among the populace and the demon-worshippers they had beguiled no longer felt the need to conceal themselves. Even the Arcanists who had been implicated in the affairs of the Enlightened and the Awakening cults seemed to have made up their minds.

They were like rats reveling in the apocalypse, stretching their limbs in dark corners and strutting through a world that was no longer theirs. These madmen even tore open portals directly in areas packed with civilians, intent on sowing further chaos.

Although most of these portals were suppressed and destroyed by local Vindicators shortly after opening, there were always areas with weak defenses or those specifically "targeted" that fell into critical danger.

Places like Oronaar and the Arcanum.

The situation in these two densely populated districts was dire. On one hand, the population density was immense; on the other, both locations had been vital strongholds for the Awakening cult, making it inevitable that they would be hotbeds for all manner of monsters and scoundrels.

High Exarch Velen went personally to Oronaar to oversee the evacuation, while Dick headed to the place where he had once worked and fought.

The force he commanded now consisted of the few remaining veterans of the Hand of Argus, bolstered by elite guards from the Seat of the Triumvirate. Talgath had even assigned him the elite of the Assassination Court—after all, Dick held the title of "Honorary Commander of the Assassination Court."

When he led his troops into the Arcanum, the place was already in utter turmoil.

Faced with the swarming demons, the Vindicators had been forced to activate all the Arcane Guardians. These massive constructs were fighting off the vicious Destroyers everywhere, the shockwaves of their combat having already decimated a third of the academic district. Meanwhile, the civilians awaiting rescue were being sheltered in the dormitories by Lady Valara, the Arcanum’s Exarch.

The facility’s magical defenses were active; Arcanite crystal towers hovered around the buildings, spinning to maintain an arcane barrier that constantly deflected various assaults. From time to time, flashes of magical brilliance erupted like lightning—the Arcanum’s mages were manipulating the towers to strike at the approaching demons.

Everything was exactly as Dick had anticipated.

With the named Greater Demons having all perished in the wars across Krokuun and the Antoran Wastes, the Destroyers pouring onto Argus from the demon world of Mardum had completely lost their command structure. These demons were like a pack of vicious "fugitive criminals," waging a chaotic war without any strategy.

There was no command, and none was needed; there was no primary front, for everywhere was a primary front.

Their massive numbers and savage instinct for destruction served as the perfect accelerant for chaos at this moment. The demons seemed not to care for their own casualties; they seemed to have received a single order: to create as much destruction as possible before the Great Dark Titan arrived on Argus.

Such disorganized enemies were fragile before a well-trained army, yet it was precisely this disorderly chaos that made the battlefield feel all the more scorched and frenzied.

Fel-infused Infernal constructs fell like meteors every second. They were no longer used in concentrated strikes but were thrown about everywhere in a "shotgun" fashion, with many even smashing into the mountains on the edge of the Arcanum. The demons did not care about the waste of firepower.

They were enjoying this rare "festivity" and release.

For the demons, the campaign to conquer Argus had been far too stifling!

Although the Burning Legion was still in its infancy and the Burning Crusade had only just begun, the number of worlds destroyed by their hands was already quite impressive. Yet, they had never encountered a planet as resilient and troublesome as Argus. The death of all the high-ranking demon commanders and the total paralysis of the command system had already demonstrated just how dangerous this hedgehog-like world was.

However, chaos is a ladder, and demons are ambitious creatures!

The failure of the "big shots" was the perfect opportunity for the middle and lower ranks. If they could just perform well enough, they might earn the favor and commendation of their master, Sargeras.

For instance, by offering up 999 screaming skulls to the Dark Titan during a single massacre...

Many common demons thought exactly this, and they were preparing to do just that.

But unfortunately, when the "Vengeance of Kazzak" in Dick’s hand became swathed in blazing Holy Light and bloomed across the battlefield for the first time as a golden waterfall of light, these ambitious demons realized that they probably wouldn't be completing their much-anticipated "class transition" to become masters of the Twisting Nether today.

"It’s Diakum Zastins! The bane of the Doomlords! The soul-splitter of the Supreme Zakun! The slayer of Balnazzar! Run! The demon-killer is here! The Butcher of the Light is here, that Eredar madman who takes pleasure in slaughtering demons has brought his scorching holy destruction! He will grin as he burns us all to ash! Run! Run!"

The noisy, cowardly imps shrieked. These little devils, who had been shouting about burning through others' knees, were terrified the moment they saw Dick leading his troops in.

They scattered in a rout, small in stature but piercing in voice. Even the mindless Felhounds seemed to sense the spreading terror, yelping as they dodged the charge of the heavy elekk cavalry.

The savage and tenacious Felguards were not as afraid.

Many hot-headed ones jumped out wielding spinal axes, wanting to challenge the legendary "Butcher of the Light," but most were "melted" in the cascading halos of light that Dick continuously unleashed.

This was merely a standard priest spell, usually used for group healing or to add some "visual effects" during sermons. Yet, through constant use in brutal warfare, Dick had become so adept with it that it now functioned like a "passive skill," similar to a blazing consecration. Furthermore, the World-Soul’s generosity toward him meant that his waterfall of light acted like an aura, "devouring" any lesser demons that dared to approach him every single second.

The heavy elekk cavalry, pushing forward with him as the spearhead, crashed through the lines like a "Holy battering ram," cutting a path deep into the Arcanum as if by a miracle.

The elite guards of the Seat of the Triumvirate following Brigadier Dick realized for the first time the true meaning of the term "unstoppable." But for the veterans of the Hand of Argus—who remained expressionless, as if completing a boring "daily KPI"—this was nothing.

In the constant charge and trampling, they, like Dick, soon felt "bored."

The scene before them looked grand, and the demons' screams were as pleasant as ever, but compared to the meat-grinder wars on the Antoran Wastes, this was as peaceful as invading a "demon kindergarten."

"Split up and rescue them!"

Dick gave the command.

He didn't need to explain further. The "Five Prodigies," who had become true elite officers, immediately fanned out, each leading a column of veterans to different directions to execute rescue operations. A portion of the elite guards was also dispersed to follow them. Dick himself continued to lead several thousand men toward the besieged dormitory district.

Tens of thousands of people were suffering terrible torment there.

A Naaru ship was approaching, and Dick's mission was to ensure these trapped civilians could board the vessel prepared for them.

"Reinforcements have arrived! Drop the barrier!"

On the high tower of the dormitory district, the exhausted Exarch Valara breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the radiance of the Holy Light. She leaned on her jeweled staff and issued the command in a hoarse voice.

Soon, Dick and his soldiers entered the area.

He dispatched his twins and spellcasters to relieve the Arcanists who were defending the perimeter. Accompanied by Valara, Dick entered the dormitory where the civilians were gathered. He needed to soothe their emotions and make the final arrangements before boarding.

"Lady Valara, you have been appointed by High Exarch Velen as the Governor of the Naaru ship *Pure Light*. You will follow the Naaru 'Mi-Da' to escort our people to a world protected by the Holy Light, where you will rebuild our cities and multiply."

As he walked into the lecture hall, Dick said to the weary Lady Valara beside him:

"Because of the special nature of this mission, High Exarch Velen will confer upon you the title of 'Clan High Exarch' before your departure! In the new world, you will lead your own clan. You will have the power to name your clan, and you will enjoy all the authority and status of a High Exarch. You will also need to choose a Vindicator commander from among your followers and work with your companions to restore order among the people as quickly as possible and establish proper safety guarantees for them. His Grace Mi-Da will remain in that world to protect you for at least two hundred years. This is our agreement with the Holy Light faction. In exchange, you can no longer deliberately obstruct the spread of Holy Light education among the people. I know, for an Arcanist who reveres the truth, this is a difficult choice, but you must endure it. This is for the sake of the people."

"So, I am the 'price'?"

Lady Valara could not have become the Exarch of the Arcanum without the political wisdom befitting such a pure-blooded Arcanist; she understood immediately.

Under Dick's silent gaze, she sighed and said:

"Very well. After boarding the *Pure Light*, I will accept the baptism and become a priest of the Holy Light. If this can protect our people, I am willing to abandon the pursuit of arcane truth. Actually, long ago, I suspected that when I became interested in the doctrines of the Holy Light, it was only a matter of time before I became a believer."

"You may retain that pursuit. The Holy Light will not forbid you from continuing to study the arcane."

Dick comforted her:

"But you do need to shoulder your responsibilities. I know that among the tens of thousands of civilians here, some are former junior students of the Arcanum. If you must preserve the arcane legacy, then remember to prevent the tragedy of the Awakening cult from repeating itself. This is your commission and the Seal of the High Exarch."

He took a jeweled box from Captain Nari beside him and handed it to Valara. When she opened it, it contained the seal of the High Exarch, representing the highest authority of the Eredar. Although she was only the governor of a clan of star-faring exiles, Velen had allocated a seal he had once used to facilitate her administration.

It was not just Lady Valara.

The exile factions currently assigned to different Naaru ships all had their own leaders. They were all granted similar seals, wielding the authority of a Clan High Exarch as governors. Each governor was responsible for between 80,000 and 120,000 people—mostly civilians, with only a small number of military and administrative personnel.

This meant the burden on each governor's shoulders was heavy.

They had to rebuild their homes in strange worlds with their respective people. It was fortunate that the Eredar possessed the trait of "immortality," otherwise such a heavy burden would have been enough to crush the willpower of ordinary beings.

Under Dick's gaze, Lady Valara donned the seal that symbolized supreme authority.

She reached out to touch a sliver of light within the box. The moment she made contact, the "Seal of Arcane Truth" hovering above her forehead was rapidly transformed into the "Seal of the Exarch," symbolizing Eredar authority.

Or, to put it more loftily, the Seal of the Eredar Leader!

This unique Eredar "ornament" was indeed the most obvious feature used to distinguish class and identity. Unfortunately, only Eredar could see the difference at a glance; to other races, it was just a cluster of light floating above an Eredar's forehead.

"This is your Heart of Argus artifact. Please keep it safe. After leaving your homeland, this will be your last connection to it."

Dick handed a Heart of Argus pendant to Valara. A few days ago, these had only been supplied to front-line soldiers, but now, at the moment of parting, they were gifted to the governors and warriors about to lead their people to forge a new world.

It was both a blessing and a constraint; it was both a duty and the inheritance of a mission.

Valara reached out and took the pendant. She noticed the scratches remaining on its surface. She said:

"Is this a relic of a soldier?"

"Yes. Its previous owner killed at least two hundred and seventy demons before falling in battle," Dick said. "May his courage be with you! May his unfinished mission be inherited by you. Here is a cipher; you are only permitted to view it after you reach your destination world. It contains a detailed description of the secrets of the Heart of Argus."

He handed a magically sealed scroll to Valara and emphasized:

"It must be viewed only by you! In principle, you are not allowed to share it with other clansmen, except in critical situations or when you have selected a successor and are about to step down! This is the burden of the Oath-Keeper. After you read it, you will understand why we must send our people away from their home, and you will understand the significance of our survival and longevity for our homeland."

"I understand."

Valara took the scroll and tucked it into her robes. This made Dick silently mutter that the methods ladies used to hide important things were truly lacking in novelty...

After a brief admonition, Dick and Valara walked into the lecture hall together.

Many civilians were waiting there, anxious about their fate. One could see that the men of those families were full of courage at this moment; they had simple weapons at their side and were forming militias to guard the doors and windows, ready at any moment to use their strength to protect their families, while the women protected their children.

Dick nodded with satisfaction at this sight.

As long as the Eredar did not lose their courage, they would one day return to their homeland and witness its revival with their own eyes.

"Mom, Dad!"

Just as Dick was about to step onto the podium to reassure the public, a cry caught his attention. He looked back to see a little girl clutching a teddy bear standing helplessly nearby, looking for her parents as if she had just woken up. An Eredar woman nearby was awkwardly trying to bring her back to her side.

However, Dick’s eyes narrowed at this moment.

He stepped forward and barked:

"Bold! How dare you hide in my presence! Demon, this is an illusion. What are you concealing!"

"?"

Everyone around was unaware of what had happened, only seeing Brigadier Dick raise his hand and transform a burst of scorching Holy Light into a *Penance*, slamming it into the Eredar woman who had tried to take the little girl.

She retreated, screaming, but her