The conference was an unmitigated disaster.

Although Hendrik convened this meeting primarily to ascertain the current status of the Tower of Babel, there was also an unspoken hope of boosting morale. However, the outcome was far from encouraging. Morale aside, it’s uncertain whether Bable can complete their weapons before the impending war.

Their only reliance seems to be on the micro alchemical weapons crafted by Ansel and Ravenna, named the “Nidhoggur.”

It could even be said that without the enhancement provided by this device, the scholars of Babel might have already begun to plan their funerals.

Based on the fundamental model provided by Ravenna, Hendrik and three other top alchemists of Babel have successfully created a product with astonishing effects. The current iteration of Nidhoggur can devour the majority of alchemical creations.

In normal times, this would be hailed as another groundbreaking invention that could astonish the empire, but in the face of the sixty-meter-tall mechanical armor, it seems pitifully weak.

Most higher-levels of Babel are not optimistic about Nidhoggur, especially considering the strength data captured by Hendrik when the Black Knight descended upon the plaza of Bable. This formidable weapon appears to be invincible.

The principle behind the mechanical armor is brutally simple: beyond the necessary design and structure, the key lies in one thing — material accumulation.

And undoubtedly, with the empress’s boundless resources, the scholars of the Etheric Academy have created a breathtaking monstrosity.

A fifth-stage crown, this is the dire conclusion that the scholars of Babel have deduced, leaving everyone in despair.

The Mechanical Armor·Black Knight is, in essence, equivalent to a fifth-stage extraordinary being.

There is no shortage of powerful “extraordinary artifacts” in this world, such as the treasures left behind after the fall of the Sky Conquering Dynasty, the unknown items within the Zero Realm Enigma, or weapons personally forged by Flamelle, who stands at the pinnacle of alchemists.

However, these weapons always come with strict conditions, limitations, and sometimes, a price. Extraordinary beings who are not powerful enough are simply consumed by those more powerful.

But mechanical armor does not have such requirements as other formidable artifacts. Even a third-stage being like Conrad can wield it with ease, and that is what makes it truly terrifying.

Ansel’s status and level mean that the extraordinary beings who can directly interact with him are mostly those standing at the pinnacle, fourth or fifth stage. However, the fact that he meets with many high-stage extraordinary beings does not imply that their total number is large.

Taking the third stage as a dividing line, each advancement in stage is an exaggerated leap, and the number of beings at each stage decreases sharply. Across the entire continent, including the land beyond the Celestial Path mountains, the number of fifth-stage extraordinary beings does not exceed three digits. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

Deploying a weapon with the combat power of a fifth-stage being into a war between two territories is undoubtedly… a one-sided massacre.

“… Lord Ansel.”

Hendrik said wearily within the manor of Hydral, supporting his forehead and sighing deeply, “I apologize, even with your assistance, it seems we are still…”

“Do you have so little confidence in the work of Ravenna and me?” Ansel asked with a smile, offering him a glass of wine.

“No, it’s not that…”

The man began, his expression bitter, “You and Ravenna have done all you could, but against the Etheric Academy, with Her Majesty’s support… it’s simply an insurmountable challenge.”

“It’s not about your abilities, or Ravenna’s, it’s purely because…”

It’s purely because of that capricious and tyrannical Empress Ephesande, an enigma in her own right.

This game was never about fairness from the start. Ephesande simply wanted to chastise, even crush, his ambitious and rebellious daughter, to show her who truly rules the empire… Fairness? Who in this world can discuss fairness with her?

The Material Armament named Black Knight is unparalleled in strength, but correspondingly, the cost to construct such a device is also exorbitantly high. Who knows how many resources the Etheric Academy has consumed? Without the empress’s intervention, it’s uncertain when they could have built this iron behemoth.

From the beginning, the Tower of Babel stood no chance; it was only their ignorance of the mechanical armor that allowed them to harbor any illusions at all.

Ansel, reclining against the sofa, lifted his leg. His gaze was fixed on Hendrik, his fingers touching lightly in a slow rhythm.

“It seems,” he suddenly said, “Mr. Rundell, you are mentally prepared?”

“Yes.”

No one knew how much pain, despair, and… reluctance were hidden in this simple word.

Hendrik, with his head slightly lowered, the surface of the wine in his glass constantly rippling, his voice hoarse and raspy, “I am ready for the Tower of Babel to collapse.”

“A sad affair,” Ansel sighed.

“…Lord Ansel, it’s not your fault, you’ve been good to us.”

He lifted his head, forcing a smile, “Whether it’s trying to mediate for us, or secretly lending a hand… We, the members of the Tower of Babel, are grateful that a great being like you would show us such mercy.”

The young and kind-hearted Hydral looked at this pitiful man, propping up one side of his face with his hand, covering a slightly upturned corner of his mouth.

In fact, in the original timeline, Hendrik would have achieved ten times, a hundred times more than he has now.

The Tower of Babel would have collapsed due to the pressure of the Etheric Academy, but the Etheric Academy was not so ruthless as to exterminate all the members of the Tower of Babel, or rather—the future Babel, the Babel without Ansel’s secret support, did not have the value that would make the Etheric Academy take such a ruthless action.

So, although Hendrik and most of the scholars of Babel lost their resources, lost the land to cultivate their ideals, they at least saved their lives, although it was difficult… but they could eventually do what they wanted to do.

Many of them later joined the Revolutionary Army, and Hendrik was one of them. Like Ravenna, he shone brightly in the later stages, becoming one of the pillars of the new era.

–>