Qi Bomb, and the Wall of Time
Xio, Silverglow City, Royal Court
King Torfinn Chapman stared at the projection before him, his face pale.
In the projection, besides the Red Iron Dragon high in the sky, only endless light and heat remained.
This was the final moment of the Lothorn frontline position.
Even through the projection, that cataclysmic power still made Torfinn feel a tremor originating from his very marrow. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his heartbeat.
"One strike... just one strike destroyed the entire Lothorn position?"
The King repeated the intelligence officer's report in a hoarse voice.
The minister standing below the throne lowered his head: "Yes, Your Majesty."
"No one dared to block it throughout the process, not even the Crown Rank powerhouse of Lothorn appeared."
Torfinn's gaze returned to the projection.
The scene was replaying the final moment.
The Red Iron Dragon spread its wings, the ball of light condensed between its claws expanded, fell, and then the earth turned incandescent.
The solid fortifications, war golems, and rune turrets built step-by-step by Lothorn all evaporated in the light. Even through the recording across time and space, that destructive, terrifying power remained clearly palpable.
When the light finally dissipated, the King realized he had been holding his breath for too long.
He slowly exhaled, complex emotions churning in his chest.
Fear, shock, and... relief.
Relief that Xio chose this position at this time.
Relief that he didn't make the wrong choice at the peak of Dragon Ridge.
Who could have imagined? In less than a hundred years, that Red Emperor could grow to this extent?
During the War of the Two Auras, although Garos Ignis was strong, he wasn't capable of such a performance.
Torfinn still remembered those battle reports.
In the battle at Norton Pass, the Red Emperor faced the siege of several Legendaries of Xio. Although he eventually broke through the defense line, he paid a price; his scales shattered, dragon blood spilled over the pass, and he was even killed once.
But if the current Red Emperor faced the same situation...
Torfinn closed his eyes.
He didn't even need to imagine; he only needed to glance at the projection just now to understand.
The Red Emperor wouldn't even need to get close to Norton Pass.
He only needed to hover high in the sky and drop one such'Sun'.
The entire pass, along with the garrison, fortifications, and any Legendary powerhouses who dared to block him, would all vanish into nothingness.
What about Silverglow City? The capital of Xio, a majestic city standing for many years, couldn't withstand such a bombardment either; it would be razed to the ground.
Wasn't it said that the growth rate of dragons is extremely slow?
Especially after stepping into the Legendary Realm, it often takes hundreds of years to make significant progress.
But what is going on with the Red Emperor? These changes in time, even counting his growth during his dormant period, are too exaggerated.
He not only possesses a physique far beyond his peers, but his growth rate is comparable to a Legendary among humans; no, even faster than many human Legendaries.
This terrifying existence is no longer like a dragon.
He is more like some kind of ultimate lifeform wearing dragon skin.
The Royal Court was deathly silent.
The ministers stood with heads bowed, no one speaking.
Only suppressed breathing sounds filled the air.
Torfinn's gaze swept over each face.
Those nobles who usually talked eloquently, those ministers who advocated neutrality, those generals dissatisfied with Xio's attachment to Aura—at this moment, everyone was pale, fear still lingering in their eyes.
After a long time, Torfinn spoke again, his voice having regained calm: "Ancestor Henderson."
On the right side of the Royal Court, an old man with white hair and beard lifted his head slightly.
He wore a simple gray robe, his face as old as tree bark, but his eyes were still clear and sharp.
Henderson Chapman, the oldest living Advanced Legendary of the Xio royal Family, and also the protector of the royal Family.
His status was equivalent to Sodrian of Lothorn.
He did not take action during the War of the Two Auras, having been in a deep sleep through secret methods to extend his life, until he was awakened shortly ago when the King of Xio was captured by Aura.
"I am listening, Your Majesty."
Henderson's voice was steady as he spoke slowly.
Torfinn stood up from the throne, walked down the steps, and personally came before his ancestor to show respect.
"I hope you can lead our Legendaries to the Rhine Plateau to assist the Aura Legion. What do you think?"
This sentence caused a slight commotion in the Royal Court.
Several nobles exchanged glances, but no one dared to stand up and object.
Henderson was silent for a moment.
In his active years, although Xio was not a powerful nation, it always maintained independence and dignity.
But now, this country was going to take the initiative to send Legendary powerhouses to assist in the war of another country, and that country had once brought a dark cloud over his own.
This was an act of vassalage that had deeply disappointed him.
After waking up, he had always been dissatisfied with Torfinn's attitude of being close to Aura.
If he were younger, he would definitely have chosen to replace Torfinn and push a new king to take office.
But he had basically reached the end of his life and couldn't afford to toss and turn anymore; he might burn himself out after one more battle, so he didn't interfere with Torfinn's choice, just never gave this junior a good look.
But at this moment, looking at the lingering afterglow of light and heat in the projection, Henderson's thoughts underwent a subtle change.
"Aura did not ask us to fight."
He said slowly, "With the might the Red Emperor has displayed, our assistance would be nothing more than adding flowers to a brocade, and might even invite some ridicule."
Speaking of this, he paused and swept his gaze over the ministers in the Royal Court.
"However, having a gesture is better than having none. Showing loyalty at an appropriate time is beneficial to the future of Xio."
These words made the ministers and nobles who had previously had complaints about the King echo him one after another.
"Lord Henderson is right!"
"This is a wise move!"
"Xio and Aura should work together... Xio is the Xio of Aura."
Sounds of praise rose one after another, the attitude completely opposite to the previous indifference.
Torfinn looked at these ministers who quickly changed their stance, with no joy or anger in his eyes.
He had long recognized this reality.
In the face of absolute power, stance and dignity are often fragile.
"Then please set off as soon as possible, Ancestor." Torfinn nodded, and then, as if suddenly remembering something, added, "Also, there is one thing I hope you can convey to His Majesty Ignis on my behalf."
Henderson raised his eyes: "What is it?"
Torfinn was silent for a few seconds.
The eyes in the Royal Court were all focused on him, waiting for his next words.
"About Reinhardt." The King finally spoke.
"That top Genius born in our Xio fifty years ago, he did not truly die."
This sentence made Henderson's brow furrow slightly.
Reinhardt, a true Genius, stepped into the Legendary Realm before the age of twenty and was once entrusted with the high hopes of reviving Xio.
But in a conflict with the blade of aura fifty years ago, he was severely injured, and it was rumored that he had fallen.
This incident once plunged the entire Xio into a long depression.
"My father poured massive resources into him, and even used the long-inherited life-saving sacred relic in the royal treasury to pull him back from the edge of Hell." Torfinn continued, his voice filled with complex emotions, "But the injury was too severe; Reinhardt's body was severely damaged, and his potential was greatly discounted."
"Even so, my father still regarded him as the last hope of Xio."
"He adopted Reinhardt as his foster son, gave him a new identity, and then..." Torfinn paused, then said: "To prevent Aura's spies from discovering him, and also to find a way to restore Reinhardt's body and potential, my father secretly sent him away from Xio, to the Holden Empire."
A suppressed gasp sounded in the Royal Court.
This was a secret that even many high-ranking officials did not know.
"After that, I lost news of Reinhardt."
Torfinn looked at Henderson, "But I feel that if he is still alive, if he has had some opportunities and growth in Holden, then with the current situation on the Romanian Plain... given his personality, he might return here."
Henderson listened silently.
He had heard about Reinhardt not being dead after he woke up, but the details were not clear.
Listening to Torfinn's narrative now, a trace of regret welled up in his heart.
The previous generation of kings had a steady personality and long-term vision, but lacked decisiveness.
He shouldn't have given the choice to Reinhardt.
A young man who was raised to a high pedestal and didn't know the height of the sky and the depth of the earth—what could be expected of him? If he could have been tougher in keeping Reinhardt back then, perhaps Xio's situation would be different.
However, no one is perfect.
However, the die is cast.
Henderson glanced at Torfinn. Although this young king once seemed reckless, he was more decisive than his father at critical moments; once he identified a path, he would walk it firmly.
"Good."
Henderson finally nodded, "I will convey this to the Red Emperor."
Atlanta Continent, Holden Empire.
Immemorial City, Cloud Sea Airport.
The wind howled high above the sky, rolling the flowing clouds that never dissipated all year round.
Immemorial City, one of the cities of the Holden Empire, was not located on the ground, but was based on countless unimaginably huge floating stones, using magnificent magic and alchemy achievements as bones, floating between the flowing wind and floating clouds.
Looking around, similar Floating Cities were scattered across the Holden territory like stars, like the dwellings of gods.
Due to energy limitations, even within the Holden Empire, the number of such Floating Cities was not large, but since the Abyss Development Project, Holden had made Breakthrough progress in energy, and Floating Cities rose one after another.
The Cloud Sea Airport was located on a giant platform extending from the outskirts of Immemorial City.
This was one of the busiest transportation hubs in Holden, where various warships and airships were docked.
There were transport ships shaped like giant whales covered in shimmering rune metal scales; high-speed cruisers with sharp lines like swords, full of aggression; and magical airships like moving mage towers...
They rose and fell, maintaining a precise and orderly rhythm in the busyness.
Merchants, scholars, adventurers, and diplomatic envoys from all over the Empire gathered and dispersed here, and figures of different races, different accents, and different attire wove into a prosperous picture.
And in this hustle and bustle, a young man stood alone on the viewing corridor at the edge of the airport, looking into the distance holding the railing.
The sea of clouds rolled beneath his feet, and the sunlight spilled down without obstruction, plating his golden hair, which was originally as bright as the morning sun, with an even more gorgeous luster.
His face looked only twenty-something, handsome enough to make any painter stop.
But in those eyes, there was a steadiness and calmness that far exceeded his apparent age—the kind of look one has only after experiencing great ups and downs and seeing life and death, honor and disgrace.
Reinhardt, or, as he was now more accustomed to being called, "Rhine".
At over sixty years old, he was still in the young Ranks in the Legendary Realm.
More importantly, after recovering his body in Holden and undergoing years of accumulation and hard cultivation, he was infinitely close to the threshold of the Crown Rank, and his Aura was deep and long-lasting, only one opportunity away from the next Breakthrough.
It was just that the sharpness and flamboyance that once belonged to the Light of Xio had all been internalized, turning into a deep silence.
The great sword and arrows of the blade of aura had once knocked him from the altar to the bottom of the valley, but it also made him curb his arrogance and rashness.
Whenever he felt happy about his progress, that night would appear in his mind.
Iron Hoof blocked the moonlight, and the sharp sword shattered the glory.
He fell from a Genius in the spotlight to a dying loser; this memory constantly reminded him to remain humble.
"Rhine."
A crisp voice came from behind.
A beautiful woman walked to his side and looked at the sea of clouds with him.
She wore a simple mage robe, her long hair slightly fluttering in the wind, her temperament gentle and intellectual.
Alice, a friend Reinhardt met while traveling in the Holden Royal Capital, with a deep background and extensive knowledge, was herself a talented Legendary Caster.
"You must have heard the latest news from Xio, right?"
Alice asked softly, her gaze not moving from the sea of clouds.
"That Red Emperor of Aura, Garos Ignis, destroyed the Lothorn frontline position with one strike in the Twilight Plain. The situation on the entire Romanian Plain may be rewritten because of him."
Reinhardt was silent for a moment.
The sea of clouds surged below, just like the slight ripples in his heart.
Even having left Xio for decades, and even without much lingering attachment to that land, when he heard news of his home country, he still could not remain completely calm.
"I heard."
He finally spoke, his voice devoid of any discernible emotion.
"Aren't you going to take a look? Or... do something?"
Alice turned her head, curiously examining his calm profile.
"You are from Xio, once the Light of Hope they pinned their high expectations on. Now that your home country has become a vassal and a powerful enemy is locked in a fierce battle with Lothorn, with your current strength, perhaps you could do something to change a few things?"
She had a deep relationship with Reinhardt Norlin and was one of the few who knew his past.
Reinhardt Norlin shook his head gently.
"If it were the me from before, I would have returned to the Romanian Plain immediately," he said, "But now... I don't want to."
"Why?" Alice asked, puzzled. "Because you are no longer the Light of Xio from back then, and have no attachment to that land? Or is it because... you feel that even if you went back now, you couldn't oppose that Red Emperor?"
"Both."
Reinhardt Norlin withdrew his gaze from the sea of clouds and looked at Alice.
His eyes were calm, like a deep pool. "The hope of Xio should never have been pinned on one person."
"Tying the rise and fall of a nation to the shoulders of a single Genius is, in itself, the greatest fallacy and tragedy."
"I once... perhaps unconsciously immersed myself in this illusory sense of responsibility, thinking I could change everything."
He paused, his voice deepening slightly: "But now I understand. The prosperity of a human nation lies in its systems, Legacy, foundation, and the choices and efforts of every citizen, not in one or two powerful individuals."
"Xio's problem is not the lack of a Reinhardt Norlin."
"As for opposing the Red Emperor..."
Reinhardt Norlin's mouth twitched slightly, revealing a self-deprecating smile.
"What could I do if I went back now? Join forces with Lothorn? Even if we add Lothorn's Crown Rank, how much chance of winning would there be? The terror of that Dragon is something ordinary people cannot comprehend."
"His age and Rank are, instead, a form of camouflage."
"I believe he can be treated entirely as a Crown Rank Ancient Dragon."
He looked back toward the sea of clouds: "Facing such an existence, impulse and hot-bloodedness cannot solve problems; they only bring about needless sacrifice. And I am now at an age where I no longer gamble everything on a moment of passion."
Reinhardt Norlin indeed had no lingering attachment to Xio.
The only thing that made him feel guilty was the late old King, the elder who had exhausted all resources to save his life and granted him a new beginning.
He had failed the old King's expectations.
And now, the only repayment he could make was to become stronger, and then, when he had the ability in the future, to try his best to make up for the regrets of the past.
Alice smiled faintly: "It seems these years in Holden have broadened your horizons."
"Yes."
Reinhardt Norlin admitted frankly.
"Here, I have seen what a truly prosperous Empire looks like: a perfect Legacy system, a mature mechanism for cultivating powerful individuals, and a profound foundation in magic and alchemy..."
"By comparison, the conflicts on the Romanian Plain are merely local disturbances on the edge of the continent."
"My goal is no longer limited to that place."
He cast his gaze into the distance, as if penetrating the endless sea of clouds, looking toward a more vast world.
"My goal is to break through the Crown Rank, touch the Heavenly Mandate, and perhaps... glimpse immortality."
Reinhardt Norlin's voice was very soft, yet as firm as iron.
"Only by reaching that level can one truly control their own destiny and be qualified to think about changing the future of a land or a people. By then, the revival of Xio might just be a matter of a single thought from me."
A flash of appreciation crossed Alice's eyes.
Most people would just rot and perish after falling to the bottom, but Reinhardt Norlin was able to crawl out of the mire, becoming firmer and more mature.
Being placed on a pedestal, then knocked into the abyss.
These experiences had all become whetstones for honing his Heart-Nature.
But immediately after, a trace of worry appeared in Alice's eyes.
"However... Reinhardt, you have recovered well, but the injuries from that near-death experience back then ultimately left behind hidden dangers."
"With your original talent, if you had been born in Holden with a good environment, you would have had a very high probability of achieving immortality."
"It is just a pity that you were born in Xio, wasted some time, and suffered heavy injuries when you were young. Your upper limit is likely... breaking through to the Crown Rank should be possible, but wanting to achieve the Heavenly Mandate would be quite difficult. As for immortality, there is absolutely no hope."
Alice said very bluntly.
Opposite her, Reinhardt Norlin smiled.
"I know," he said, "That is why I am leaving Holden."
"Where to?"
"The kingdom of the Elven Dominator, the Orotara continent."
Reinhardt Norlin answered calmly, "I am going to seek the Elven race's Spring of Life. Only the Spring of Life can possibly fully compensate for the losses caused by my old injuries and resume my path toward higher levels."
The Orotara continent, under Elven rule, was rumored to be a fertile land flowing with milk and honey.
But that was a long time ago.
According to the information Reinhardt Norlin understood, the current Orotara was not peaceful; it could even be said to be fraught with crises, with the entire continent shrouded in the shadows of turmoil.
Yet, he still made this decision.
Alice was silent for a while.
She knew that once Reinhardt Norlin made up his mind, he would not easily change it.
So she smiled and took out an amulet inlaid with a bright green gemstone from her bosom, handing it over.
"The Elves' attitude toward outsiders, especially those seeking the Spring of Life, may not necessarily be friendly."
"Take it. My Family has some friendship with some High Elves of the Emerald Court; this amulet might save you some trouble in Orotara."
Reinhardt Norlin did not decline.
He took the amulet and nodded solemnly: "Thank you."
"When do you plan to set off?"
"Now," Reinhardt Norlin said.
Alice was surprised: "So urgent?"
Reinhardt Norlin was silent for two seconds, then said in a low voice: "I am a human, not an alchemy machine."
"I have tried my best to remain rational, but there are still some emotions fluctuating in my heart. That is something in my Bloodline, difficult to completely sever. If I do not leave as soon as possible and go to Orotara... I might not be able to resist returning to the Romanian Plain."
He did not want to see that land ignited by the flames of war again, did not want to see Xio struggling in the cracks, and even less did he want to... face that Red Iron Dragon.
Before he truly possessed the power to contend, he had to stay away.
After leaving these words, Reinhardt Norlin said nothing more.
He leapt from the edge of the skyport, his Legendary Domain unfolding naturally, wrapping around his body and turning into a stream of light that cut through the sea of clouds and quickly disappeared at the end of the horizon.
The high-altitude wind blew over the Immemorial City, stirring the flowing clouds and flags.
The huge Floating City operated constantly, driven by magic arrays, overlooking the vast land below like an indifferent deity.
The northern territory of the Atlan continent, Twilight Plain, Aura Legion encampment.
The Red Iron Dragon lay prostrate on a temporarily constructed high platform, like a crimson mountain range.
His scales shimmered with a metallic luster under the sunlight, and every breath brought up a scorching airflow, causing the surrounding space to distort slightly.
The Legendary figures of Xio stood below the platform. Henderson, who led them, bowed slightly and finished relaying the words of King Thorfin.
The old Legendary's voice was steady, but in front of this Dragon, he could still feel an instinctive oppression.
That was the gap in life intensity and race. Even though his Legendary Rank was higher, in front of the Red Emperor, he still felt like an ant looking up at a mountain.
"Reinhardt Norlin..."
The Red Emperor's deep voice sounded like rolling thunder, "I am glad you could rush here at this time, but do you think I would worry about a human who was once heavily injured by my Dependents? I do not like that."
He lowered his huge dragon head, his vertical pupils staring at Henderson.
Just the gaze alone caused the Xio Legendaries to feel a wave of oppression.
Henderson's expression did not change, but cold sweat had already seeped out on his back.
He said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, we only hope to provide all possible intelligence."
"Xio is willing to fight for Aura, willing to assist you in achieving victory. Please give your orders, and we will do our utmost."
At his age, any fierce battle could mean the end of his life.
But Henderson was not afraid.
If he could secure a better future for Xio, then exhausting his remaining lifespan was worth it.
Xio had already backstabbed Lothorn and stood on the side of Aura, so they could only go down this path to the end.
He understood Thorfin's choice and was willing to pay the price for it.
However, after the voice fell, the Red Emperor did not respond.
Instead, among the surrounding Aura Legendaries, someone let out a sneer.
"Hey, old human antique."
A teasing voice sounded.
Henderson looked to the side and saw a large bird with feathers as brilliant as fire tilting its head to examine him: Phoenix Anqia, one of Aura's Legendary lords.
"You look like you already have half your body in the coffin, yet you're not afraid of death."
"However, you underestimate our Your Majesty too much. Would he need the assistance of you little ones?"
Hearing this, on the other side, the burly Ogre Karu also grinned.
He said in a muffled voice: "The primary meaning of our existence as Aura Legendaries and the Legion is to cheer and applaud for Your Majesty, to witness Your Majesty's strength. Human, get that point straight first."
Henderson was silent.
He could not really understand the thinking of these Aura Legendaries.
But one thing he knew was that these Legendaries, despite their different races and identities, had an almost blind confidence in the Red Emperor.
You must know, these were all Legendary lives, proud and opinionated powerhouses.
To be able to make them look at it this way...
Just then, a clanging sound of scales rubbing together rang out.
The Red Iron Dragon slowly stood up, his huge wings spreading out, obscuring the sky.
He looked up at the darkening night sky, a light of contemplation flashing in his vertical pupils.
"Destroying Lothorn's frontline positions, yet failing to see their Time Controller, is truly a pity."
Galos's voice echoed in the encampment, saying, "For this, I am prepared to go again. I hope that this time... they do not disappoint me."
The moment the voice fell, a crimson dragon shadow soared into the sky!
The flapping of his wings stirred up air currents, blowing the banners in the encampment until they snapped in the wind.
In just a few short breaths, he turned into a crimson meteor in the sky, galloping toward the direction of Lothorn's main camp.
Henderson looked up at the disappearing dragon shadow and only withdrew his gaze after a long time.
He glanced at the surrounding Aura Legendaries; there was no worry on the faces of these alien powerhouses, only excitement and anticipation, as if what they were about to see was not a solitary fierce battle, but a grand performance.
"Is this... the prestige of the Red Emperor?"
Henderson murmured in his heart.
He had completely understood Thorfin's choice.
Facing such a Red Emperor and the Legendary lives completely gathered around him, what other way out could Xio have besides submission?
Lothorn Northern Expeditionary Army main camp.
The Iron-Fisted General Valesia stood in front of the sand table, his expression colder and harder than usual.
There were still bloodshot eyes in his gaze because since the frontline positions were destroyed, he had not closed his eyes to rest for a long time.
However, his thinking was exceptionally clear.
"Everyone."
Valesia broke the silence in the command room and said: "The Red Emperor's'Sun' is essentially composed of highly compressed Dragon Qi. We have all seen it; its power is unimaginably strong, but that does not mean we are helpless."
The officers surrounding the sand table raised their heads, their eyes filled with fatigue, but also burning with a glimmer of unyielding fire.
"According to energy residue analysis, observation reports from frontline mages, and our understanding of Dragon creatures, several key points can be inferred."
Valesia pointed to the position marked on the sand table where the Red Emperor appeared.
"First, that Dragon Qi Bomb with immense power requires time to brew and compress. From the moment the Red Emperor begins to accumulate power until it is thrown, the entire process takes quite a bit of time. This time is the critical window for our early warning and reaction."
He moved his finger and pointed to the original site of their own position.
"Second, the reason our position was severely damaged this time was mainly because it was the first time the Red Emperor displayed such a powerful long-range attack skill."
AI Model: gemini-3.0-flash
"Before this, the impression he gave us was always unmatched physical strength and close-combat ability; we lack preparation for this kind of strike."
At this moment, a middle-aged military officer chimed in.
"Does the General mean we need to change our tactical rhythm? Abandon our previous step-by-step, steady approach?"
"Yes." Valesia nodded slowly. "We must admit a fact: the Earth Manipulator, our reliance for quickly building fortified positions, was destroyed in the first wave of strikes. Although it tried to burrow underground to evade immediately, it was still within the kill zone, and its internal structure is severely damaged, making it impossible to rebuild in a short time."
A brief silence fell over the command room.
"This means we can no longer count on using a solid defensive line and positional advantage to deal with Aura."
Valesia looked around at everyone, his voice decisive. "We must be more flexible, more dispersed."
"At the same time, we need to develop multiple sets of contingency plans for the Red Emperor's strikes: early warning mechanisms, evacuation routes, countermeasures, and tactics to seize the opportunity to counterattack while he is brewing his attack."
In this way, Lothorn's previous plan to establish prestige and unify the Federation through this battle would be declared a failure.
But this was a helpless move.
In the face of the power shown by the Red Emperor, being able to reduce losses and strive for victory was already difficult.
Valesia sighed in his heart.
If the late king were still alive, Lothorn and Aura should have been a stable alliance, jointly facing threats from other forces on the continent.
Unfortunately, politics is never dominated by ideals.
Now that both sides have met in battle, it's too late to turn back.
"We must force Aura into a more complex war with us, instead of letting them concentrate their power and cooperate with the Red Emperor's destructive strikes to make a Breakthrough at a single point."
Valesia focused his mind and continued.
The atmosphere of the meeting became slightly more active.
The generals began to discuss specific adjustment plans.
Splitting large legions into more flexible tactical clusters, increasing the density of aerial reconnaissance and magical warning networks, preparing more war devices for interfering with high-energy accumulation and long-range strikes...
However, just as the discussion was halfway through.
Another anomaly occurred!
A familiar, terrifying pressure crashed down from high altitude.
The magic lamps in the command room flickered violently, ripples appeared in the water cups on the desks, and the maps on the walls moved without wind.
"Warning! Ultra-high energy reaction!" The Messenger Mage's voice resounded throughout the headquarters via the amplification array. "Right above our heads! Repeat, the target is right above our heads!"
Valesia's pupils shrank suddenly.
He didn't have time to think; his body acted instinctively, appearing outside the headquarters in a flash and looking up at the sky.
Then, his heart almost stopped.
Two suns.
In the azure sky, two suns appeared.
One of them was slightly smaller but was rapidly taking shape and expanding!
And the one holding up this new sun was precisely that Red Iron Dragon they were just discussing how to deal with.
The Red Emperor, the indestructible dragon, Garos Ignis!
He had directly bypassed the front line of the conflict and appeared right above the Lothorn headquarters.
The sphere of blazing light between the dragon's claws looked even larger in diameter than when it destroyed the front-line positions, and the light and heat it emitted caused the air below to begin to distort.
Valesia could feel the air temperature rising.
"Activate all defensive arrays! Maximum power!"
Valesia shouted the order, saying: "Notify all Legendary units to prepare for interception! magical satellite, request emergency support! Repeat, request highest-level support!"
Piercing alarms resounded through the sky.
Layers upon layers of defensive arrays were activated to their limit, and colorful magic shields wove into a brilliant curtain of light above the headquarters.
Multiple Legendary powerhouses rose from various places, staring fixedly at the Red Emperor above.
The sphere of blazing light between the dragon's arms grew more and more dazzling; at close range, its diameter seemed to have exceeded the real sun. It was like another star imprisoned in the dragon's claws, ready to fall at any time and turn everything to ashes.
Time seemed to freeze.
Valesia clenched his fists, his nails sinking into his palms.
He could feel the soldiers around him trembling and hear suppressed gasps and prayers.
This was the deterrence of power.
Even before the attack, fear had already spread.
Just then, a brilliant silver light descended from the sky!
The pillar of light landed precisely above the headquarters, between the Red Emperor and the camp below.
The light dissipated, and a figure appeared.
It was a young man who looked to be in his twenties, wearing simple gray cloth clothes, with a worn round shield and an ancient sword hanging at his waist.
He had an ordinary face, black hair and black eyes, and a gentle expression, standing there like a traveler who could be seen anywhere.
But the moment he looked up, the entire sky fell silent.
Time Controller, Sodrian Lothorn.
Lothorn's time crown rank, Lothorn's protector.
Sodrian's gaze fell on the energy ball between the Red Emperor's claws, as calm as if he were looking at an ordinary object.
Then, he made a simple movement, his right hand lightly resting on that worn little round shield at his waist.
Something incredible happened.
With the touch of his palm, time on the round shield seemed to start flowing backward.
Cracks healed and disappeared at a speed visible to the naked eye, mottled rust quickly faded, revealing the clean, new original metal color, and even a missing corner on the edge regrew and completed itself in the flow of light and shadow.
In the blink of an eye, a complete and clean shield appeared in his hand.
Silver ripples flowed on the shield's surface, like moonlight reflected on water.
"Lothorn's time crown rank..."
High in the sky, the Red Iron Dragon grinned. He said no more, pressed his claws together, and threw the Dragon Qi Bomb that had expanded to its limit.
This time, the Dragon Qi Bomb did not hit the ground.
It abruptly exploded in mid-air before it even got close to Sodrian!
A blazing sun bloomed in mid-air, and destructive flames and lightning, like Vicious Beasts baring their fangs and claws, devoured toward the nearest human.
This sudden change did not cause Sodrian to change expression.
He did not move; he only raised that brand-new round shield over his head at the moment the first wisp of lightning flame was about to touch him, tilting the shield surface slightly in the simplest parrying posture.
Then, the shield made contact with the lightning flame.
No loud roar, no explosion.
At the moment the Dragon Qi Bomb's destructive energy touched the shield's surface, time seemed to stagnate.
Rolling flames and surging lightning stalled for a moment in front of the shield, as if hitting an invisible wall.
The next second, it was as if time began to flow backward.
Instead of continuing forward, the flames and lightning began to retreat, contract, and close up again!
They tumbled in front of Sodrian, reconsolidating in a way that defied common sense, turning back into that sun-like energy ball, and then, returned the same way they came!
Buzz!
The Dragon Qi Bomb followed a completely opposite trajectory, faster than when it came, whistling toward its original owner!
A total reversal, in just an instant.
The Red Emperor also seemed taken aback, but his reaction was equally terrifying.
Hundreds of meters of crimson giant wings suddenly unfurled and swung violently!
The dragon's formidable and majestic body was like a bolt of crimson lightning, rushing straight up into the higher sky, with brilliant flames trailing behind him.
Boom!!!
The Dragon Qi Bomb exploded violently in the sky slightly behind the Red Emperor's original position.
This time it was a real explosion, completely shredding the clouds high in the sky, with light and heat pouring down like rain. But because of the distance, when the aftershocks reached the ground, they had been completely intercepted by the layers of defensive arrays, only causing ripples on the shields.
At the same time, Legendary after Legendary rose up, headed by Sodrian, guarding his side.
Their eyes were burning, focused on the Red Iron Dragon, their eyes full of Battle Intent.
"The power of time... Human, you have surprised me."
The Red Emperor stood in the burning sky, looking down at the human Crown Rank.
After speaking, he did not linger. With a flap of his wings, he turned into a crimson stream of light and quickly disappeared into the horizon, coming suddenly and leaving decisively, giving the Lothorn Legendaries no chance to surround him.
After a brief silence.
Earth-shaking cheers erupted from the Lothorn headquarters!
"It's the Time Controller! Our Crown Rank!"
"Shield of Time! He blocked it! No, he reversed the Red Emperor's attack!"
"Long live Lothorn! Long live the Time Controller!"
"..."
The previously flagging morale was restored at this moment.
Soldiers waved their weapons, generals showed wild joy, and even Valesia breathed a long sigh of relief, his eyes full of respect and gratitude as he looked at the young figure in the sky.
However, Sodrian in the sky did not show a relaxed expression after the Red Emperor left.
He slowly lowered the round shield.
The light on that shield quickly dimmed, and cracks and old marks reappeared, as if the brand-new state just now was only a brief temporal phantom.
Sodrian, with his back to the crowd, was slightly pale, and his breathing was a bit more hurried than usual.
The moment he lowered the shield, dense wrinkles appeared one by one on his profile. Although these wrinkles gradually faded as he took several deep breaths, the exhaustion they brought did not disappear.
"Reflecting it just once... the cost is so high."
Sodrian looked down at the restored worn shield, then looked in the direction where the Red Emperor had disappeared, his brow slightly furrowed.
He knew his own state.
As a user of time power, every reversal of time requires a price.
Reflecting an attack of the Dragon Qi Bomb's level consumes not only magic power but also his own time.
Those wrinkles were the most direct manifestation.
His life was accelerating away.
"If he uses this move repeatedly, how many times can I block it?"
Sodrian calculated silently in his heart.
Just three nights later, the Lothorn army adjusted its lines according to the new tactical plan. Sodrian's arrival indeed boosted the low morale, and long-lost conversation could even be heard in the camp.
However, the peace did not last long.
The sky was once again torn apart by blinding light, and the night suddenly became as bright as day.
The Red Emperor descended again.
He was suspended high above the night sky, the Dragon Qi Bomb in his hand like another massive sun.
The next moment, that destructive sphere of light was thrown violently toward the earth.
Time Controller Sodrian had to act.
He raised that ancient round shield, silver light burst forth, and the Wall of Time unfolded again.
A buzzing sound vibrated the air, and the moment the Dragon Qi Bomb touched the barrier, it was reversed, reflected, and rushed back toward the high sky.
The Red Emperor had long expected this, his figure rising lightly, calmly avoiding the counterattack, and then he turned into a red shadow and streaked toward the sky, disappearing into the depths of the night without lingering.
Everything returned to silence, with only the un-dissipated energy aftershocks in the camp crackling.
Sodrian slowly lowered the round shield, and wrinkles appeared on his face again, deeper and denser than before.
Although he raised his hand to gently stroke them and smooth them out one by one, he knew in his heart that it was not just appearance, but the marks of time accelerating away from him.
"We can no longer defend passively like this."
Sodrian looked toward the silent mountains in the distance.
"My life is already near its end. If this battle is destined to be my finale... then in the final time, I will strive for a brilliant future for Lothorn."
This time, no matter what decision the King would make, he had already made his own choice.