Lothorn Kingdom, Valdo City, within the Royal Court
Late at night, the city had shed its daytime bustle and flash. Patrol guards in light armor passed by with soft footsteps. Only the quiet glow of magic lamps remained in the corridors of the Royal Court, casting the stone pillars and hanging heraldic banners into half-light and half-shadow.
The King's bedchamber was located deep within the Royal Court.
Raymond lay on a large velvet bed, sleeping soundly.
He was in his prime, with a resolute face. Even in his dreams, traces of fatigue from handling state affairs were faintly visible between his brows, but the calm bearing he had cultivated from long-term control over a powerful kingdom was not masked by sleep.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Urgent military intelligence! It's from Xio!"
Suddenly, the hurried knocking and shouting extinguished the tranquility within the bedchamber.
Raymond snapped his eyes open, and the remaining drowsiness vanished instantly.
He did not respond immediately. Instead, he remained lying on his back, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.
Raymond had an ominous premonition in his heart.
But he knew that as a King, he could not lose his composure at any time.
He sat up, his silk pajamas making a slight rustling sound with his movements. He reached out to tidy his somewhat messy undergarments and brushed back a few strands of hair from his forehead before looking toward the door and speaking in a steady voice.
"Come in."
The bedchamber door was pushed open from the outside. The Chief Chamberlain looked tense, followed by a dust-covered Messenger.
"Your Majesty!"
The Messenger's voice trembled slightly. He bowed his head and spoke rapidly, "The Xio Kingdom... Silverglow City has been attacked!"
Raymond's gaze froze.
The Messenger swallowed and continued his report: "Garos Ignis, that Red Emperor... it descended directly from high altitude. Within a minute, it continuously broke through Silverglow City's two major protective arrays, burst into the hall, captured King Thorfin alive, and then... then it simply sauntered away, completely unscathed."
Raymond sat on the edge of the bed, motionless.
Blood seemed to stagnate in his body for a moment, then suddenly rushed forward, pounding against his eardrums.
It took him several seconds to fully digest the shocking information contained in those words.
"Captured alive?" He repeated the keywords. "In Silverglow City? The Red Emperor... acted personally?"
Absurd.
This was the first clear feeling that surfaced in his heart.
Xio was an important link in Lothorn's New Federation Plan, a key pawn to curb the expansion of the Aura Kingdom and demonstrate Lothorn's authority.
Just a short while ago.
He had just expressed Lothorn's concern for Xio to the Red Emperor, implying that it should exercise restraint.
How dare Aura?
That Red Iron Dragon, Garos Ignis, how dare it?!
After Lothorn had clearly stated its position, Aura did not seek negotiation or moderation; instead, it chose the most crude and direct method, flipping the chessboard entirely.
This was not just directed at Xio; this was a trampling of the Lothorn Kingdom's prestige!
"Just a short while ago... I had just spoken with it."
Raymond slowly stood up, walked to a side cabinet, and poured himself a glass of water to moisten his throat. "It rejected the alliance invitation of the New Federation, and now, it has abducted the King of a state friendly to my Lothorn..."
"This dragon is truly unscrupulous and lawless!"
"It truly... doesn't respect Lothorn at all!"
A surge of rage from being severely offended rose in Raymond's heart, searing his reason.
He could almost see the arrogant vertical pupils of that Red Iron Dragon and hear the mockery contained in its deep voice.
Was the thousand-year glory of Lothorn and the great achievements of past kings to be so lightly regarded by a beast in his era?
But immediately afterward, he took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, repeating this three times, forcing his violently fluctuating emotions to gradually stabilize.
He could not panic.
Anger would not solve the problem.
The Red Emperor... Garos Ignis.
This Legendary Dragon, since establishing the Aura Kingdom, had repeatedly done inconceivable things. It could not be measured by the standards of an ordinary king or leader.
It was a dragon, a powerful and willful Evil Dragon.
Raymond had a strong premonition.
If this incident could not be handled properly, if this outlier and troublemaker Aura could not be dealt with, then the grand blueprint he diligently sought—rebuilding the Federation and restoring Lothorn's former glory—would likely suffer a fatal blow or even end prematurely.
He set down the water glass and turned to face the Chief Chamberlain and the Messenger, his face having regained the calm belonging to a King.
"Convene an emergency Privy Council meeting."
"Immediately notify the Military Commander, the Intelligence Chief, the Foreign Minister, and..."
He paused slightly, his gaze becoming deep. "Invite our ancestor Sodrian to come."
Sodrian—this name seemed to carry a certain magic, causing the bodies of the Chief Chamberlain and the Messenger, who was still kneeling on the ground, to tremble slightly.
The Chief Chamberlain bowed deeply. "Yes, Your Majesty."
He turned quickly, signaling the Messenger to follow. The two of them hurried out of the bedchamber, disappearing into the shadows of the corridor.
Raymond stood alone in the center of the bedchamber. Outside the window, the night was still thick.
He walked to the window and pushed open a small gap. The cold night wind rushed in, making his mind clearer. He looked at the sleeping silhouette of Valdo City, with the watch-fires on the distant towers flickering.
"Red Emperor... a troublesome fellow."
He whispered to himself.
Half an hour later, in a small council chamber at a secret location.
The atmosphere was heavy as the high officials of Lothorn gathered.
The capture of a friendly king would have a massive impact.
The Military Commander was the first to break the silence.
"This is a declaration of war! A blatant declaration of war!"
"Aura is not hitting Xio; they are slapping the face of our Lothorn! A king of a friendly nation, captured alive in his own court... what such absurd and egregious precedent has ever existed in the history of the nations?"
"We must make the strongest response. Immediately dispatch more legions to the Xio border, and at the same time, issue an ultimatum to Aura, demanding the unconditional release of King Thorfin, a public apology for their barbaric actions, and compensation! If they refuse..."
A cold light flashed in his eyes. "Then we immediately raise our troops and flatten the Aura Kingdom!"
Opposite him, the Intelligence Chief, a middle-aged woman with sharp eyes, spoke.
"Increase troops? And then?"
"Go to full-scale war with Aura?"
"Aura is no longer the Aura of before. Their number of Legends is indeed fewer than ours, but every one of them is not to be underestimated. Now, two more Dragon Legends have been added, and the Red Emperor himself... is a terrifying dragon who transcends common logic."
"Directly igniting a conflict with Aura will disrupt our plans and consume the strength we have accumulated for rebuilding the Federation."
"This brings no benefit to our Lothorn."
On the other side, the Military Commander frowned and said, "Are we to just sit by and do nothing? Then what prestige will the New Federation have left? How will other kingdoms look at us?"
"Who would truly follow a leader who cannot even protect the king of a friendly nation they promised to safeguard?"
He turned to the end of the long table, where King Raymond sat, having remained silent.
The King had already changed into formal attire. His hands were folded on the table, and his face was as calm as water, showing little emotion.
"Your Majesty, I insist that we must immediately demonstrate our power!"
The Military Commander said in a deep voice, "Send troops against Aura and make them feel the pain. This will also let other kingdoms know how prosperous and strong our Lothorn is, and how worthy we are of being followed."
Raymond did not reply immediately. His gaze was lowered as he thought quietly.
At this moment, the most senior Foreign Minister slowly spoke.
"We must handle it, of course."
"We cannot stay out of Xio's affairs, but how we handle it requires strategy."
He leaned forward slightly, his cane resting against the edge of the table.
"First, we need to be clear on one point: the Aura Kingdom, at least in name, is still an ally of our Lothorn. The old alliance treaty is still in the archives. Before the alliance is officially broken, we should not treat them entirely as an enemy."
"Secondly, let us think from a different perspective."
"The Red Emperor's brazen action in capturing King Thorfin is certainly fierce and peerless, but it also places itself and the Aura Kingdom at a moral disadvantage."
"Today, the Red Emperor can deal with the King of Xio in such a manner; tomorrow, will it use the same means to deal with other kings or leaders who displease it?"
Pausing, the man's eyes gleamed. "However, this is actually a good thing for us."
The King looked toward the Foreign Minister.
Having been silent for a long time, he spoke for the first time, asking, "How so?"
Under the gaze of several pairs of eyes, the Foreign Minister smiled.
"Fear is a powerful adhesive."
"Some kingdoms that were originally wavering on the issue of joining the New Federation, playing both sides, or harboring doubts about our Lothorn, might now empathize with King Thorfin's encounter, thereby developing a strong sense of crisis."
The Foreign Minister said with a chuckle, "Our Lothorn now needs a target sufficient to make other kingdoms feel wary or even fearful."
"This can make them unite more closely under the banner of our Lothorn to seek protection."
"The Red Emperor and his kingdom are playing this role for us."
He looked at the King and continued, "Therefore, Your Majesty, our primary strategic goal now should not be an immediate military confrontation with Aura. Instead, we should use this incident to isolate Aura diplomatically and in public opinion, accelerating the consolidation of the New Federation's internal unity and pulling those panicked kingdoms into our system more quickly."
"As for Xio..." Minister Ethan picked up the teacup before him and took a small sip.
"With King Thorfin captured, internal turmoil is bound to arise in Xio. We can act immediately to support a reliable and pro-Lothorn candidate to stabilize the situation within Xio, preventing it from further collapse or even civil war due to the king's disappearance."
"A stable Xio that depends on us can serve as our springboard or shield."
In the eyes of the Lothorn Kingdom's top brass, Xio's value lay in its role as a check on Aura.
When Aura was first established, its Foundation was unstable and it was surrounded by powerful enemies. At that time, Lothorn was happy to see it succeed and provided some support almost free of charge, hoping this beast of the North would tear at Xio and weaken the kingdoms of the Rippos camp.
Lothorn indeed got its wish.
But who could have expected that the Aura Kingdom, under the leadership of the Red Emperor, would grow at a staggering speed and even begin to affect Lothorn in turn?
Thus, times are different now.
Xio has changed from an opponent that needed to be struck down into an ally that needs support to curb Aura.
The debate continued.
The content was mainly the clash between the two ideas of'strong counterattack' and'slow influence'.
King Raymond listened quietly, deep in thought, weighing the pros and cons.
Shortly after, a slight cough sounded.
Almost everyone looked up at the same time, turning toward the source of the sound.
At some point, the closed doors had been parted.
A figure stepped from the slightly dim light of the corridor outside the door into the bright illumination within the hall.
It was a figure that appeared very young.
He looked very young, with the face of a youth of about seventeen or eighteen. His black hair was smooth, his brow peaceful, and his eyes clear, yet they seemed to have been washed by the passage of time. Hanging from his waist was an unremarkable, old small round shield and an ancient-style longsword, his attire simple.
Numerous fine cracks and even small nicks could be seen on both the shield and the longsword.
It was as if they had accompanied their master through countless tragic battles, weathered and worn, yet never abandoned.
At the same time, the moment this youth-like person stepped into the hall, a strange, indescribable sensation enveloped everyone.
It was like a kind of... sense of stagnation.
It was as if the light around him, the flow of air, and even the propagation of sound had become slow and clear; the lights cast a halo by his side, and the trajectory of suspended dust was discernible to the naked eye.
Sodrian Lothorn.
A member of the royal family, an ancestor of King Raymond, a being who had lived for over four hundred years.
At the same time, he was hailed as the 'Time Controller' and was the strongest existing power in the Lothorn Kingdom.
Below him, during the high-speed development period after the war, another relatively young Crown Rank was born in Lothorn, but in terms of both strength and seniority, they could not compare to Sodrian.
The coexistence of two Crown-Rank Legends in one era was the source of the Lothorn Kingdom's confidence in attempting to reshape its glory.
"Ancestor, you have come."
King Raymond stood up from the main seat, nodded slightly to the youth, and used a respectful title with a respectful tone.
Other high-ranking ministers also stood up one after another and bowed.
In Lothorn, Raymond was the king on the surface, in charge of government affairs, but Sodrian Lothorn was the undisputed stabilizing force of this kingdom, the uncrowned king.
If Sodrian were willing to invest his time in governing the country, he could completely take the throne himself.
But not all Legendary figures were as all-powerful as the Holy King, dabbling in many fields and being exceptionally gifted.
Sodrian had devoted almost his entire life's time and effort to tempering his combat skills and raising his Realm; he lacked interest in tedious state affairs and considered himself not good at them.
His status in Lothorn was more of a transcendent Protector.
Sodrian walked at a steady pace and stopped not far from King Raymond's side.
"I have already learned the general gist of the Xio matter."
"The Red Emperor, Garos Ignis... he is more unpredictable than your father estimated during his lifetime; he is a... quite dangerous existence."
His voice was somewhat aged, completely different from his face.
Opposite him, Raymond felt a chill in his heart and asked, "How does the Ancestor judge him?"balance
Sodrian pondered slightly and said, "His own Legendary Rank might not be very high, yet he could easily Breakthrough the formations guarding the royal courts on both sides and capture the king alive."
"In terms of destruction, he surpasses us human Crown Ranks."
"Moreover, he should possess certain skills for breaking magic or anchoring space."
Hearing this, Raymond followed up with the most crucial question: "Ancestor, if you... personally faced him, would you be certain of victory?"
Sodrian was silent for a few seconds.
Then, he looked at the King again.
"Before a real encounter and confrontation, I cannot give you a specific answer."
"Rank, Domain, traits—battles at the racial Legendary level have too many variables; even the environment and luck at the time will affect the final result."
At this point, his tone shifted slightly.
"However, since I enjoy the offerings of several generations of the Lothorn Kingdom and live in a country established by ancestors, compatriots, and descendants, I naturally bear the responsibility of guarding the continuation and prosperity of Lothorn."
"Your father, the previous king, OBrien."
"His evaluation of the Red Emperor during his lifetime was very complex; he both marveled at this Dragon monarch's power and wisdom and was keenly aware that this Dragon might one day stand in opposition to Lothorn's interests and become a huge trouble."
"Therefore, he made a special request to me before he died."
Sodrian's voice lowered slightly, becoming more serious as he continued, "If the future king, after careful judgment, finally determines that the Red Emperor's existence has posed a major threat to the Lothorn Kingdom that must be eliminated..."
"Then, I will, at any cost, personally organize and execute a Decapitation against the Red Emperor."
At any cost.
He spoke the words 'at any cost' very lightly, but everyone present felt a chill.
That very likely meant a battle beyond the norm, or even... the resolution for mutual destruction.
Raymond's heart rate quickened, and complex thoughts flashed in his eyes.
Decapitating the Red Emperor?
Although the Ancestor did not directly answer whether he was one hundred percent certain, since he had made the promise to do it at any cost, if he truly decided to go all out, Raymond did not believe the Red Emperor could easily survive.
Sodrian Lothorn, the 'Time Controller'—this title was not obtained out of nowhere.
Sodrian's Legendary path was not based on any rare or powerful Bloodline or hidden class.
Initially, he was just the most ordinary Shield-Swordsman, following a very common path in the warrior system.
This path often performed mediocrely among those of the same Rank.
However, Sodrian tempered the ordinary to the Peak.
Through day after day and year after year of tempering, in countless dull dawns and late nights, he polished his sword and shield techniques to an unimaginable state. His own talent was also good, and with the kingdom's resources provided to him, his Rank grew steadily.
Then, at the moment of his promotion to Crown Rank, his Domain was strengthened.
The originally unremarkable Shield-Swordsman underwent an essential transformation and sublimation, allowing him to glimpse and master a sliver of the great power to interfere with the temporal level!
Although it was only a sliver, it was enough to make him undergo a complete transformation.
In the use of shield techniques, Sodrian could extend his Domain to the surface of the shield.
If he could perform a block at the very last moment before an enemy's attack was about to hit the shield's surface, he could not only achieve absolute defense but also reverse all damage back to its source, harming the attacker.
In the use of sword techniques, the effect of the Domain was even more wonderful.
If he could perform an evasion at the very last moment before being attacked, his Domain would affect the passage of time, making the flow of time on his own body relatively faster, while his own perception could keep up with the temporal changes, allowing him to counter-attack the enemy with unimaginable speed.
Both required timing that was demanding to a perverse degree, with no room for any error.
But as it happened, Sodrian possessed techniques that had reached the Peak, capturing the fleeting perfect timing in the blink of an eye every single time.
Or rather...
It was precisely because he first possessed such extraordinary techniques that he obtained a compatible Domain enhancement when he achieved Crown Rank.
Techniques at the Peak, combined with a Crown Rank Domain containing the mysteries of time.
The combination of these two made him the sturdiest shield and the sharpest sword of the Lothorn Kingdom.
"Although the Red Emperor is strong and his Physical Body alone is comparable to a natural disaster, in the face of Ancestor Sodrian, who can interfere with time, he might find it hard to gain an advantage and might even be countered... The power of time is simply too transcendent."
Raymond's thoughts churned.
"If the Ancestor could go a step further and Breakthrough to the Destiny level, he might be even more terrifying in battle than the Holy King ancestor."
"A pity," he sighed inwardly, "time does not spare anyone after all. After reaching Crown Rank, the Ancestor's appearance and bodily functions returned to their youngest state, but his true lifespan did not increase because of it, leaving no hope for the Destiny Domain."
He gathered his wandering thoughts and refocused his attention on the crucial choice before him.
Decapitating the Red Emperor would solve Aura, the greatest variable, once and for all.
With the Aura Kingdom's deformed structure that relied heavily on the Red Emperor, once this Dragon was lost, the entire kingdom would collapse in an instant and fall apart.
At that time, this most dangerous thorn among The Nations of Romania would no longer exist.
But what then?
The Foreign Minister's words rang in his ears again.
The existence of Aura and the Red Emperor was actually a good thing for his grand blueprint of rebuilding the Federation.
If The Nations of Romania continued in their current state, with each kingdom being outwardly obedient but inwardly defiant, when would he be able to make Lothorn great again?
Could he see that day in his lifetime?
Conversely, if there were a public enemy as powerful, savage, and lawless as the Red Emperor, constantly stimulating the nerves of fear in the surrounding kingdoms and making them feel that their own safety was seriously threatened... then their desire to seek protection and huddle together for warmth would be unprecedentedly strong.
Lothorn would naturally become their first choice to turn to.
The cohesion of the Federation might instead form more quickly because of this.
Use this fierce fire set by the Red Emperor to forge the New Federation he looked forward to!
Thinking of this, the deliberation in Raymond's eyes was gradually replaced by determination. He looked up, gazing once more at the Crown Rank ancestor standing before him, his face showing a look of resolve.
"Ancestor Sodrian."
"My father's deathbed request to you was very necessary and the most responsible arrangement for our kingdom. However... I believe that Decapitation should be our last resort, not the preferred response at this moment."
Sodrian listened quietly, his youthful and delicate face showing no change in expression, neither approval nor opposition.
Human life was too short. To explore higher Realms within a limited lifespan, he was immersed in Cultivation all year round. He was neither good at nor interested in deeply understanding complex and treacherous state affairs.
Since the contemporary King, after the discussion of the Imperial Council and his own reflection, believed that now was not the time for Decapitation, he would not act on his own.
He was the Protector of Lothorn, not the decision-maker.
"The Decapitation plan is shelved for the time being."
Sodrian glanced at the King and added unhurriedly, "Raymond, you are the King; your judgment guides the course of the kingdom. If you change your mind at some point in the future and believe that the threat of the Red Emperor must be eliminated..."
"Tell me then."
After saying this, his figure gradually blurred and disappeared within the council chamber.
Leaving several high-ranking ministers looking at each other, their gazes finally falling on the King.
Next, the meeting continued, beginning to finalize the details of some specific actions.
After the final plan was determined and everyone dispersed, the deep night outside the window had already begun to reveal a bit of light; dawn was approaching.
The King was walking up a set of stairs.
When he reached the highest tower balcony of the royal court, the horizon was already showing a clear pale white. The night receded silently like a tide, and Valdo City gradually woke up in the morning light, its outline becoming distinct.
"Red Emperor... this fierce fire you've set is exactly what I want. We shall see who can better harness the flames to achieve their desires in the end."
Standing in the whistling morning wind, the King's gaze swept across the vast land.
Reflected in the light of the rising sun, there seemed to be flames burning in his eyes as well.
One was named aspiration, the other was named ambition.