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The area below the building was a complete mess.
Latia's magic had blown everything apart, and it was a wonder it hadn't collapsed yet.
"Let's go. I'll clear the path. Latia, follow behind. Liber, stick close to Uncle Cleans and protect the three of them."
"Got it!"
Swish.
Davian conjured an ice sword.
Whoosh.
A fireball in his left hand.
'Shall we begin?'
Slash.
Davian lightly swung the ice sword.
Rumble.
A thick mana blade swept through the front.
The Imperial soldiers struck by the mana blade either exploded or were flung far away.
A wide path was cleared in an instant.
It goes without saying that Cleans' eyes widened at the sight.
"How much longer are you going to keep surprising me...?"
Liber replied to Cleans' mutterings.
"Davian? He's just getting started."
Woosh, Bang.
While Latia was launching huge fireballs at the Imperial soldiers...
Some of the rebels recognized Princess Kartia, who was surrounded by Davian and his group.
"The Princess is alive!"
"The Princess is over there!"
"Clear the way!"
The rebels did their best to drive away the Imperial soldiers, gathering around Davian and his group.
As time passed, the wide square was divided by the confrontation between the two sides.
"First, we need to get the Princess to safety!"
"What if she gets caught by the Imperial soldiers during the move?"
"But we can't just leave her in this dangerous place."
"The entire area will be swarming with Imperial soldiers!"
Davian approached.
"Oh, young stranger. Thank you. Thank you so much."
"How many rebels are left?"
"Why do you ask?"
"If moving the Princess is dangerous, then let's just occupy this square. Send a signal for everyone to gather here."
An elderly man who seemed to be the leader stepped forward.
He was missing his right hand, lost in battle, and had a hook in its place.
"Occupy the square?"
"Yes. Then the Imperial army's commander will show up."
"The commander? Are you talking about Commander Kalai?"
"Is he the one in charge here?"
"Yes. He is a very cruel man."
Davian nodded.
"You were preparing for a desperate last stand soon anyway, right?"
"Well..."
"Let's make it today. There's no need to do everything according to plan."
"Today?"
"Yes. While we're here."
The old man fell into thought.
As the young stranger said, they were already preparing for a desperate last stand.
Not knowing whether they could win or not.
Even if they somehow managed to win and drive out the Imperial soldiers here, another Imperial army would rush in from the capital.
But.
They couldn't just do nothing.
That would be the same as giving up their homeland and fully accepting the colonial rule of the Marino Empire.
At least.
They had to make sure that the next generation of descendants.
Would live in a free Colonia Kingdom.
"It seems the late King in heaven has sent you to protect us."
Davian shrugged.
"Think whatever you want. Anyway, if you were preparing for a desperate last stand soon, tonight is the best time."
The old man made up his mind.
"Hear ye, proud rebels of the Colonia Kingdom!"
Everyone looked at the old man with surprised expressions.
Colonia Kingdom.
A word they dared not utter after being defeated by the Marino Empire and demoted to a mere 'city.'
Because the Imperial army had forbidden them from even saying the word Colonia Kingdom.
The old man raised his hooked right hand to the sky.
"Immediately fire the signal flares and have everyone gather in this square."
"All the rebels, you mean?"
"No."
"Then?"
"Tell all the citizens of the Colonia Kingdom. Except for minors and the infirm, gather in Peace Square tonight."
One of the rebels, startled, ran forward.
"Even the ordinary citizens? They might be brutally massacred by the Imperial soldiers in front."
"Of course, coming here is up to them. It's their freedom to hide in their crumbling houses, fearing death, and it's their freedom to participate in tonight's battle for the independence of their homeland."
He was telling them to come out, ready to die.
"We can't let our descendants live the same lives we do, can we?"
Although the sounds of clashing weapons still echoed everywhere.
The air where the rebels gathered turned as cold as if water had been poured on it.
Whether to achieve the independence of their homeland by risking death.
Or to let their descendants live lives less than human.
A rebel who seemed to be a middle leader gave instructions with a determined expression.
"Fire the violet signal flares!"
"If we fire this now...!"
"That's an order! Fire it! Scatter the purple that symbolizes our Colonia Kingdom across the night sky!"
The base color of the Colonia Kingdom's flag, and the purple that symbolizes the royal palace.
For months, the rebels had been secretly delivering instructions to all Colonians.
'When the kingdom's flag adorns the sky, come to Peace Square.'
Now is the time.
For the flag of the Colonia Kingdom to flutter in the sky of Colonia City.
Of course, it is not the formal flag of the royal family made of silk.
It doesn't even have the splendid pattern in the center of the flag symbolizing the royal family.
But.
It's just that all the people of Colonia can recognize it.
That's enough.
"Fire it."
"Yes!"
Several rebels hurriedly installed signal flare launchers here and there.
"Three! Two! One!"
Bang! Whoosh! Bang!
Signal flares were fired into the sky from several launchers.
Pop. Poof.
Bright purple flames scattered in the dark night sky.
A scene reminiscent of a splendid fireworks display.
As if to cover the entire sky above the square, the purple flames adorned the night sky brilliantly.
Colonia City Colonial Headquarters.
Commander Kalai frowned, looking at the sky outside the window.
"What is that again?"
"It seems to be some kind of signal flare."
"Those rat-like bastards. They've been moving busily lately. They had something planned."
"What about the princess?"
"The rebels who gathered in the square are with her."
Kalai tilted his head.
"They didn't take her through the underground secret passage?"
"No. There were no movements to hide the princess separately."
"With this, there's no reason to have faked the execution."
The execution that took place in the square this evening was fake.
Of course, he planned to hang the people except for the princess as they were.
But not the princess.
He planned to let the rebels come to save the princess somehow, and then follow them to find out their secret underground passage.
But the situation unfolded completely differently from Commander Kalai's expectations.
"Are they gathering in that square and protesting for us to kill them all?"
At that time.
One of the Imperial soldiers burst into the commander's office.
"Commander!"
"What is it now."
"The Colonians are all running out into the roads."
"What?"
"They are all wrapping purple cloths around their wrists, heads, and chests, and running out onto the roads, heading towards the central square."
"What are these guys doing today? Sweep them all away!"
The Imperial soldier who reported was startled and asked back.
"Yes?"
"Didn't you hear me? Sweep them all away! Civilians or whatever. Kill all the guys wrapped in purple!"
"B, but."
Bang!
Kalai stood up, slamming the desk with his fist.
"I'll say it one last time. That's an order. Execute all the Colonians who illegally occupy the roads and squares immediately. Prioritize the guys wrapped in purple."
"Yes! Commander!"
The Imperial soldier who reported on the movements of the citizens left the commander's office.
"Let's go. Issue an order to the main force to move out."
"Yes!"
"Colonia forever... Keuhuk!"
The Imperial army's massacre began.
All the Imperial soldiers in Colonia City headed towards the central square.
The place that the Colonians call Peace Square.
An order was issued to summarily execute all the citizens who wore purple on their bodies on the way.
For some reason, they are all wearing purple cloths here and there.
It is impossible to kill all these citizens and get to the square.
Naturally, the Imperial army's gathering to the square was delayed.
Meanwhile.
Peace Square was being completely occupied by the rebels.
Ordinary citizens to the inside of the square.
People who can fight, including rebels, to the outside.
There were a total of four avenues leading to the square, and Davian's group and the rebels each set their own area to eliminate the Imperial soldiers and protect the citizens entering the square.
The north is Davian Naone.
The east is Latia and Liber.
The remaining two places were divided into two by the rebels to protect the citizens entering the square.
The Imperial soldiers who approached nearby were mercilessly dealt with.
In fact, the number of Colonians rushing in was so large that it was not easy for the Imperial army to approach the square.
In the process, countless Colonians are being massacred, but the Imperial army is also in a situation where they cannot properly deal with it.
Slash!
Cleans, who was guiding the citizens while cutting down the Imperial soldiers in the avenue connected to the south, turned around.
The north avenue, which had already calmed down.
"I'll take care of this side."
That's what Davian Naone, who had neatly cleared the area around the north avenue alone, had said.
Is it possible to do such a thing alone?
"Then what after that?"
"Until then, gather as many people as possible in this square, and then push into the colonial headquarters' main base together as it is. Of course, the rebels will be at the forefront."
"Are you saying we should strike the Imperial army?"
"Yes. The numerous citizens gathered in the square will protect the princess. And we will push and seize the Imperial army's colonial headquarters at the forefront."
"It's a plausible plan, but is it possible? The opponent is the Marino Imperial army that swallowed our kingdom in an instant."
"Haven't we already come too far to consider possibilities?"
Cleans turned his head again and looked for the Imperial army.
'Yes. It's not a situation to consider possibilities anymore.'
Then, the only thing Cleans can do now is.
To protect even one more innocent Colonian citizen.
A group of Imperial soldiers coming out of that alley was seen.
Their bodies were covered in blood, as if they had massacred many people to get to this place.
It probably wasn't their blood.
It must be the blood of all the good Colonians.
Cleans shouted to his squad members.
"That's them!"
The north side, which Davian Naone was in charge of, had already been completely cleared.
Only Colonians continued to pour in, and all the Imperial soldiers were lying on the floor as corpses.
There are no Imperial soldiers standing on two feet anymore in the distance where the eyes can reach.
Of course, the aura of the Imperial army can be felt further away, but if they go too far to deal with them, the people near the square may be in danger again.
'Where are they coming?'
Davian, who had deeply bent his knees, kicked the ground and flew into the sky.
'There they are.'
The Imperial army, completely occupying the avenue far away and coming in formation, was seen.
The bodies of the Colonians who had fallen tragically were lined up on both sides and behind the Imperial army formation.
It was the main force stationed at the colonial headquarters.
"You're saying that the commander is among them?"
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