Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Four: The Plan Changes

Ever since the cataclysmic demon tsunami, major powers around the globe have significantly ramped up their research into nuclear weaponry. After all, this remains the only human-made weapon capable of exerting any influence over those bizarre phenomena—which was precisely why the Great Bear Emperor authorized the launch of a hydrogen bomb.

Scientists from various nations reached a consensus regarding this phenomenon, theorizing that the explosive force generated by nuclear weapons produces certain as-yet-unknown effects capable of effectively countering attacks from other realms.

High upon his throne sat Malekith. He had long since detected the previous missile strike, but he hadn't bothered to alert his subordinates. In his eyes, humanity's missile weaponry was altogether too primitive to pose any threat to his grand design.

Therefore, when the sensors once again chimed to warn of an incoming missile, Malekith merely offered a mocking smile. To his mind, this projectile was likely nothing more than the final gasp of the previous barrage, perhaps the ultimate, futile resistance of this human nation.

"Pitiful mortals, if this is the extent of your capability, then this planet rightfully belongs to me." As he gazed down at the city below, a thrill of triumph surged through Malekith. Once the great Dark Mother descended, this world would become a new sanctuary for the Dark Elves. As for those humans, they certainly wouldn't be exterminated; instead, they would be farmed and kept as sacrificial offerings.

Just as Malekith was indulging in visions of the future, the nuclear warhead reached its designated target area and rapidly began its transformation, while Malekith's sensors instantly detected a massive surge of energy.

"How is this possible!" Malekith’s hair stood on end. Moments before the detonation, he finally perceived the terrifying threat. As an entity yet to step into the tenth tier, the sheer power of a nuclear weapon was fully capable of threatening his life.

Naturally, upon detecting this colossal wave of energy, Malekith’s warship reacted immediately. As the final flagship of the Dark Elf race, the onboard artificial intelligence swiftly analyzed the optimal countermeasure, channeling all available power directly into the crimson mist.

Once generated, this red mist began to distort the surrounding spatial laws, which explained why it had previously shifted abruptly into an ethereal state. However, before the ritual was completed, such maneuvers demanded a massive expenditure of energy. Fortunately, the Cursed Warriors were able to convert the terror of the humans within the city into fuel, providing them with an abundant supply.

Yet this time, owing to their utter contempt for the incoming missile, the Cursed Warriors had not transitioned into an ethereal state in advance; they were forced to use the power of the red mist to forcibly nullify the energy of the nuclear bomb.

Naturally, the Cursed Warriors were currently channeling their power into the crimson mist. Following Malekith’s bestowal of favor, and to facilitate real-time communication, their nervous systems were directly linked to the ship's core intelligence, enabling Malekith to issue commands instantly.

Consequently, the people in the Capital of the Forest who happened to be near these Cursed Warriors suddenly noticed that these demons of the abyss had abruptly ceased their slaughter, freezing in place as the red energy enveloping them poured continuously into the ground.

Unaware of what their enemies were doing, and still gripped by the terror previously inflicted by the Cursed Warriors, the crowd once again began to scatter in panic.

However, a few clever individuals seemed to sense a fleeting opportunity and seized the chance to sprint toward the red mist behind the Cursed Warriors, desperately attempting to flee the city.

True to form, the stationary Cursed Warriors did not stop them as they had before, and upon discovering this, the crowd began running frantically toward the city gates.

Yet this was precisely the moment of the nuclear detonation. Obscured by the crimson mist, the people inside the Capital of the Forest had no inkling of what was happening outside. Thus, as the first wave of people successfully escaped the city, they were greeted by a colossal mushroom cloud.

Fortunately, they managed to evade the initial shockwave and thermal radiation produced by the blast. Nevertheless, the towering mushroom cloud before their eyes still struck them with immense terror and awe. Although theoretical hydrogen bombs do not produce nuclear fallout, because hydrogen bombs are detonated by atomic triggers, a degree of radioactive residue inevitably remains.

As for Malekith and his entourage—who were confronting the nuclear weapon head-on—their situation was far from pleasant. As the most powerful weapon in human history, although this standard-issue hydrogen bomb from the Bear Country possessed a yield of only five megatons, falling far short of its more terrifying predecessors, the devastation it generated was nonetheless formidable.

At the exact instant of the blast, Malekith and the Cursed Warriors channeled as much of their power as possible into the red mist. Yet a nuclear explosion would never grant them the luxury of time to transfer their strength. The violent detonation severely disrupted the spatial laws gathered by the red mist.

While the nuclear blast could not destroy a stable spacetime continuum, the space condensed by the red mist was already in an unstable state. Combined with the head-on clash of their opposing energies, the crimson mist inevitably suffered a violent tremor, which in turn allowed the trapped residents to escape from within the fog.

However, the primary destructive force of a nuclear weapon is not sustained. Once that cataclysmic wave of energy subsided, Malekith climbed up from the ground and naturally spotted the surging crowds fleeing toward the outside world.

"A pack of fools! What are you standing around for? Build the altar within the hour!" Malekith gasped for breath, furiously barking orders at his subordinates. To think he had nearly capsiged in this low-tier civilization's world—it was an absolute disgrace to the dignity of the Dark Elves.

Upon receiving the command, the Cursed Warriors stood frozen for a few seconds before snapping back to their senses. The internal shockwave from clashing with the nuclear weapon had inflicted a certain degree of damage upon their bodies, which was why they had failed to intercept the crowd the very second the order was given. Recovering quickly, however, they resumed a massive slaughter.

Previously, to harvest greater quantities of hatred and rage, the Cursed Warriors had chosen to slowly torture and kill the populace. But having experienced the devastation of a nuclear blast, Malekith realized that this planet was far from simple. If he allowed things to drag on any longer, there was a very real possibility he would fail to achieve his objective.

Consequently, he could no longer afford to hesitate. Malekith intended to rapidly construct a crude, makeshift altar and, once aided by the Dark Mother, venture back out to gather more sacrificial offerings.

As noted previously, the six fundamental laws intertwine; therefore, if the emotional energy proved insufficient, the resulting portal would be too small to channel adequate power.

Yet the Bear Country's hydrogen bomb did more than merely awaken Malekith’s sense of crisis; it also alerted the guardian of Midgard, Kamar-Taj.

While Kamar-Taj refrained from meddling in the internal affairs of mortals, ever since the invention of nuclear weapons—devices powerful enough to annihilate all of humanity—Kamar-Taj had established a dedicated monitoring network specifically for such ordnance.

Reliant upon the magical network connecting the three Sanctums, this nuclear-detection system had been set up long ago, with its primary objective being the prevention of humanity's self-destruction.

Therefore, when the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj discovered that the Bear Country had detonated a nuclear warhead within its own capital, they instantly sensed that something was amiss and dispatched a sorcerer to investigate.