Last Ruler Of The Empty Throne-Chapter 148: Second round begins

Despite his reluctance, the Mayor eventually conceded to move the remaining civilians even farther inland. He authorized a broader, more distant perimeter, this time focusing all their efforts and fortifications toward the sea.

The trauma of the last wave of attacks lingered fresh in their memories. Too many had died, too many had been injured, and now, no one was willing to take any chances.

The military forces and evolvers who had once stood divided were now unified under the Mayor’s command. Yet, their cohesion did not come from loyalty or respect, but from fear. Fear of what they had seen. Fear of what was coming. General Jul, stripped of his authority and confidence, moved like a ghost among them. He no longer barked orders, no longer carried his chest high.

Everything had been taken from him in a single night, and he knew he didn’t have the right to demand it back.

Then, as though destiny kept to its cruel schedule, the next morning brought bad news.

"They are back... and with more numbers," a scout announced with a grave face.

Heads snapped toward the tent flap. No one questioned the report, not when it came from the elite scouts. The camp tensed. Eyes met eyes. Fear prickled along their skin, and adrenaline flooded their veins. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Let’s go," the Mayor said, his voice low but resolute. He stood, and several leaders followed suit, exchanging solemn nods. As they left the tent, the tension in the air was nearly tangible.

"Undergrounds, with me!" Victor’s voice thundered across the camp. His group, formerly unknown to most, had become a symbol of hope overnight.

They were the hidden heroes, a clandestine unit known now as the strongest force among them. Their performance in the first round of battle had earned them immense respect. Their numbers had swelled since that night—dozens of soldiers and evolvers, whether from the military or the Mayor’s side, now pleaded to join them.

Who wouldn’t want to be legendary? Who wouldn’t want to be praised, remembered, or rewarded?

It was simple: survive, and everything awaited them—powerful skills, cores to evolve, priceless treasures, respect, women, titles, homes. All of it within reach... if they could stay alive.

This time, the camp was different. Hardened. Smarter.

Laura’s firsthand experience and post-battle insights had transformed their understanding. Evolutions were now seen not as experiments but as necessities. The treasures and skills harvested from orbs were redistributed to enhance soldier capabilities. No longer hoarded or assigned politically, every resource was now used to ensure survival.

Laura herself saw nothing she hadn’t seen before—duplicated treasures, familiar skills—but to these new users, they were lifelines. She didn’t criticize their awe. To them, these were miracles.

Even traps had evolved. Inspired by Victor, many of the Underground took to mastering earth-based abilities. Together, they formed an intricate network of traps, pitfalls, and trenches. A massive stone wall was erected between the sea and the defensive line.

This would be their battlefield.

Atop the wall, the Mayor stared into the vast ocean. His eyes narrowed.

"These numbers..." he muttered, glancing at Laura beside him. Her face remained calm.

"What do you think life in the seas is like, Mayor?" she asked, eyes locked forward.

He frowned. "Uh... I don’t know."

"Unlike when they’re crazed or controlled," she said quietly, "how do they survive in the deep? Their lives are pure survival of the fittest. And what we’re seeing now... are the fittest of the fit."

"Have you been down there before?"

"No," she replied simply.

Their conversation ended, overshadowed by what surged toward them.

They could no longer see the coastline, just an endless tide of sea creatures crashing against the earth. They came in monstrous waves, clawing over one another, forming living towers to scale the wall.

It was a nightmare given form.

There were new species—mutant sea horses with armored scales, shark-men wielding jagged tridents, triton figures with glowing eyes, octopus-like beasts that slithered across terrain, even whale-like creatures whose roars echoed like thunder. And worse, they weren’t all weak. Unranked flooded the frontlines, but behind them surged First Realm monsters—and this time, Second Realm beasts didn’t wait. They led the charge.

They had no time to waste.

"Remove the floor," the Mayor commanded.

It sounded insane, but it wasn’t. The earth cracked open. Ground that had seemed stable was suddenly pulled apart, collapsing into trenches lined with razor-sharp spikes. Caught off guard, thousands of sea creatures tumbled into the death pits.

"YESSSSS!"

"WAAAAAAA!"

Cheers erupted. The soldiers roared in victory, their spirits briefly lifted. Even though some First Realms and all the Second Realms avoided the trap, the damage was done. The tide had been stalled.

Then, just as the frontlines halted before the chasm, the second trap was sprung. More earth split apart, and another wave fell screaming into the void.

"Now attack!" the Mayor barked.

The defensive line launched into a coordinated barrage. Rifles, shotguns, and mounted machine guns lit the sky. Evolvers summoned firestorms, lightning whips, wind scythes, ice lances—every element was unleashed.

One soldier laughed madly as he hurled Wind Slash after Wind Slash. "This is it! This is how we win!"

"Yeah—"

His companion’s voice died in his throat.

WHOOMMMM...

A monstrous water tornado, taller than the wall itself, formed in the ocean. Within seconds, it slammed into the battlefield. It tore through creatures and traps alike. Floodwaters surged across the land, sweeping up soldiers, shattering defenses, rendering all traps obsolete.

The wall sank slightly into the mud, groaning under the pressure.

The Mayor clenched his fists. ’Damn it,’ he cursed internally. The battlefield had shifted. Their terrain advantage was gone. The sea had claimed the land.

He glanced at Laura, hoping for answers. But she remained still, unreadable. He fought the urge to scream. Then—

Whoosh!

A voice boomed behind them, "First Regiment Commander Lucy Tresin reporting!"

Laura turned and smiled. "Lucy, welcome."

"Congratulations on the evolution," Lucy replied with a grin.

The Mayor retreated in fright as his jaw dropped.

Lucy was stronger than he, yet she greeted Laura like a subordinate.

Then another voice echoed, "Second Regiment Commander, Victor, reporting!"

Again, Laura was addressed with deference. The Mayor’s head swam.

More evolvers arrived, one after another, each emanating overwhelming strength. Some didn’t even speak, merely nodding toward Laura before vanishing into position.

Then—

BOOOOM!

A massive explosion erupted in the flooded plains, instantly vaporizing dozens of sea creatures. Mud, blood, and limbs flew skyward.

"I can see you’ve had your fun, Laura!" shouted a voice.

Laura smirked. "Nice to see you too, Alexa."

"Yeah, yeah, I’m coming," the voice replied, and then disappeared.

Laura just shook her head. She knew what Alexa meant.

She, too, was going to reach the second realm.

"Woah, you actually reached it first." A light voice came from behind them

"Jenny?" Laura turned in surprise.

Jenny nodded. "I thought Jon would beat us to it."

Laura chuckled. "I didn’t expect it either. It just... happened."

"You look well, so, what happened here?" Jenny said, slipping into combat mode.

’What is going on? And why is she also treating her like her superior?’ The Mayor’s head spun. He wanted to scream out for someone to explain to him, however he knew this wasn’t his place anymore.

The wall trembled as dozens of evolvers assembled, their auras heavy, their eyes gleaming.

They were ready.

"So, just another bunch of troublemakers," Jenny concluded. "Well, anyways, better to experience them now than later."

She then raised a hand.

"Attack."

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

The second round had truly begun.