Strongest Kingdom: My Op Kingdom Got Transported Along With Me-Chapter 360 - 359: Zevran Descended (part 1)

Poison blooms like a living fog.

Erel'na moves through it effortlessly, four arms shifting and reforming into long, elegant blades that gleam with viridian light. Every step leaves the air corroding behind her.

Her opponent floats opposite her—a human woman with silver hair and a staff carved with anti-curse runes.

"An insect," the woman says coldly. "Disgusting."

Erel'na tilts her head, compound eyes reflecting a thousand calculations.

"Shut up human," she replies. "Your human race are more disgusting and evil."

She vanishes.

The human general snaps her staff down, barriers blooming just as Erel'na's blades slam against them from four directions at once.

Clang—clang—clang—clang!

Poison seeps through the cracks, hissing as it eats at the barriers.

The human general's eyes widen. "This toxin—!"

"Tier 6 Skill," Erel'na says softly, voice echoing from everywhere. "Thousandfold Venom Bloom."

The poison detonates outward, layering debuffs upon debuffs, paralysis, corrosion, hallucination, each feeding the next.

----

At the heart of the battlefield, two halberds meet.

Vordon crashes into his opponent like a living fortress, full-body armor glowing with ancient runes, every step shaking the land. His halberd swings in wide, crushing arcs, earth power spiraling around it like a coiled dragon.

The human general opposing him is massive as well, wielding a polearm etched with imperial sigils.

They lock weapons.

The ground collapses beneath them.

"Monster," the human general growls, straining. "You fight for scraps and chains."

Vordon's grip tightens.

His voice booms across the battlefield.

"Our lord has given us a chance to fight for our freedom," he declares, pushing forward inch by inch. "So we will not disappoint him."

He breaks the lock.

Earth surges up his armor, reinforcing it, merging man and land into one unstoppable mass.

"Tier 6 Skill—Sovereign Ground!" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

The human general is hurled backward, smashing through three defensive formations before slamming into the earth.

Vordon steps forward, eyes blazing.

In his mind, and in the minds of Ruk, Erel'na, and Varesh, one presence stands unshakable.

Alix.

The one who gave them power beyond their limits.

The one who let them break the peak of Tier 6.

Ruk roars as he forces Harveth to one knee.

Varesh's lightning intensifies, thunder shaking the heavens.

Erel'na's poison deepens, turning the air itself into a weapon.

Vordon raises his halberd, earth roaring in response.

----

Stegran watches the battlefield from above.

His cloak barely moves, yet the air around him twists under sheer pressure.

Below, a hundred thousand monsters clash head-on with five times their number, and they do not break. They do not collapse. They advance, retreat, and counter with discipline that makes Stegran's eyes narrow.

Even.

They are fighting evenly.

His eyes remain fixed on the battlefield, pupils contracting as calculation after calculation collapses into uselessness.

So this is the result, he thinks.

For years, whispers circulated through the court, accusations buried beneath politeness and fear. That Marshal Stegran had turned a blind eye to the wilderness around Nam City. That monster were left alone. That migration routes were subtly redirected.

All for the future.

All for the harvest.

He never denied it.

Why would he?

Death is a resource.

War is a forge.

And monsters, when sharpened properly, are far more efficient than humans at creating corpses.

Yet—

Stegran's fingers twitch.

These monsters are not just stronger.

They are bold.

They are daring to challenge the kingdom itself.

Stegran laughs, silently this time.

Not aloud.

Inside.

Alden was right, he admits to himself with amusement. Every accusation in that hall was true.

He let the wilderness of Nam City grow unchecked.

He diverted extermination orders.

He allowed monsters to grow stronger, occasionally slaughtering them to deepen their hatred of humans, shaping them into relentless killing machines.

All for this moment.

All for death on a scale the kingdom has not seen in generations.

No one will ever know.

Because the dead do not testify.

His gaze drifts across the battlefield again.

A hundred thousand monsters hold the line.

Human corpses carpet the ground.

Fear spreads through the ranks like rot.

Stegran's heart beats faster.

'Perfect.'

The stronger the monsters are, the more humans die.

The more humans die, the closer he comes to Tier 7.

This was always the plan.

And yet—

His smile tightens.

"That thing," he murmurs.

The pressure does not waver.

It remains fixed on him, unwavering, immense. Like an eye the size of a mountain staring directly into his soul.

'A quasi–Tier 7', Stegran thinks, irritation creeping in. 'How the hell did these monsters tame something like that?'

Four Peak Tier 6 monsters appearing together is already absurd.

Four of them, fighting the generals, coordinating like veterans?

That alone should not exist.

But a quasi–Tier 7 beast standing behind them?

That crosses from unlikely into impossible.

Peak Tier 6 beasts never leave the wilderness.

Quasi–Tier 7 beast is practically a legend.

Stegran feels it clearly.

As long as he remains still, it will remain still.

The instant he moves—truly moves—it will strike.

His lips curl.

---

Inside a massive mansion deep in Plison City, Alix sits cross-legged on a raised platform, his senses stretching outward like invisible tendrils. Through them, he watches the battlefield with clarity rivaling Tier 7 perception. The chaos, the collisions, the surging powers of the monsters and humans, it all flows to him like a living map.

Zevran curls comfortably beside him in his tiny dragon form, small wings tucked in, appearing asleep. But Alix knows better—Zevran's aura is locked onto Stegran, a taut line ready to snap at the first sign of danger.

"Master," Zevran murmurs suddenly, eyes opening, amber light flickering. "That human leader… he wants to talk to me."

Alix tilts his head, curiosity sparking. "Oh? Very well, then. Talk to him."

Zevran hesitates, then exhales softly, claws flexing slightly. "Master… that human is… strange. He offered me something. A staged fight—he would act as if he lost, and in return, he will not interfere with our conquest of more cities."

Alix raises an eyebrow, letting a faint smile tug at his lips. "Interesting. So he thinks you're the leader of the monsters."

Zevran nods. "He does. But that's not all. He seemed… cautious. Calculating. He wasn't just bluffing. I can sense his intent—it's subtle but dangerous."

Alix leans back, eyes narrowing, pondering the implications. "Humans who think like that… they're always up to something. But take his offer. Our soldiers can't hold this pace forever. We need to end this battle faster, and this arrangement buys us the time we need."

Zevran's eyes glimmer with a mix of amusement and respect. "As you wish, Master. I will honor the agreement… but I will give him a good beating."

"Good," Alix says softly. "Let him think he has a say. Let him dance in the illusion of control. But the cities, the armies, the monsters—they belong to us. And soon… the kingdom will learn exactly what it means to be prey."

---

The battlefield falls silent as an overwhelming aura descends like a living storm. Dust swirls violently, shields rattle, and every creature, monster and human alike, pauses mid-motion. The air itself trembles with the weight of raw power.

From above, Zevran emerges, now in his massive dragon form. His scales shimmer with deep iridescence, his wings spanning wider than the largest siege tower. Every beat of them sends shockwaves that rattle the ground. He roars, a sound so deep and primal that it pierces through the hearts of all present. The roar resonates with the power of true dragons, amplified by the true dragon blood has slowly integrated into him.

The monsters on the battlefield growl, humbling themselves instinctively, while the human army falters, shields shaking in awe and fear. The wind from Zevran's wings carries an invisible weight, pressing against everyone like a tidal wave.

Stegran closes his eyes briefly, then opens them, lips curling into a calculated smirk. He sends a mental message, his voice sharp in Zevran's mind.

"Beast," he says, icy and commanding. "Remember what we discussed. If you try something funny, I will make sure all the monsters below will die before I flee. Do you understand?"

Zevran's golden eyes flare, his claws digging into the earth beneath him. The roar fades into a low, rumbling growl as he responds mentally, every word vibrating with power.

"I understand, human. But you should know… I do not fear you. If you even touch them, I will end you before your threat can materialize."

Zevran spreads his wings fully, shadowing hundreds of soldiers beneath him. His aura pulses, warping the air.