A Man Like None Other (Jared Chance) novel Chapter 5389

On the ramparts of Celestia City, clouds as black as spilled ink pressed low, squeezing out a rain so dark it looked like liquid night. Each droplet hissed with demonic aura, cracking against the battlements.

Ieuan braced both hands on the slick stone, his pulse hammering. In the distance, a moving shadow swallowed mountains and rivers alike.

It was the Demonic Soul Army, one hundred thousand strong. Wherever that tide rolled, valleys split, forests died, and daylight simply ceased to exist.

"Sir, the Demonic Soul Army is at the walls!" his most trusted adviser squeaked, nearly sobbing as he pointed at the advancing darkness.

Ieuan swallowed his terror and turned to Stebarin. "Mr. Hemato, when their leader arrives, I'll need you to negotiate for me. As long as he agrees to submit to me, I'll give him half of level six."

Stebarin answered with a cold, amused snort. He believed none of Ieuan's grand promises; instead, he settled in place to watch the ambitious statesman humiliate himself.

Moments later, the Demonic Soul Army halted beneath the city like a living abyss.

High above them hovered Soul Devourer—a phantom tower of darkness whose towering silhouette blotted out every torch. Pressure from his Human Immortal Realm aura struck the Guardian Army like a physical weight, crushing soldiers to their knees before many even realized they had bowed.

"Insignificant beings," Soul Devourer thundered, the words cracking the air. "Open the gates and swear fealty, and perhaps you will be spared!"

The very wall shivered beneath the volume of that command, dust drifting from ancient mortar.

Summoning every shred of courage, Ieuan rose into the air until he faced that towering shade. Hands clasped, he called, "My Lord, I am Ieuan Chapman, prime minister of Celestia. Bend your army to my rule, and we shall govern level six together. Wealth and glory beyond measure await you!"

A flare of mockery flickered in the hollow pits where Soul Devourer's eyes should have been. He lifted one vast hand—and the sky itself seemed to fall.

The blow struck Ieuan before he could even raise a defense. He pin-wheeled backward like a severed kite, slammed into the wall, and vomited blood. Several ribs snapped with an audible crack.

His voice cracked, yet the words escaped. "Relay my command! Open the gates. Pledge fealty to our lord, Soul Devourer!"

"What? The prime minister wants us to kneel to demons?" a young guardsman exclaimed, disbelief ringing off the stone.

Another shouted, "Never! We are soldiers of Celestia. We will never bow to demons!"

A third bared his blade, spit flying. "If we must die, we'll die fighting the demons!"

The parapet erupted. Armor clanged, oaths collided with prayer.

Most of the soldiers were native-born citizens of Celestia, nurtured by its blessings for generations. Moreover, they were the high and mighty celestials. How could they yield to demons? Their city already held a low status among the celestials, and if they were to submit to the demons, their entire kingdom would be branded with eternal disgrace.