949-958

Chapter 949: In the Deep Maze

"This is..."

The corners of Rhode's mouth lifted as he looked fixedly at the ceiling. Although there were no unique patterns on the gray walls surrounding him, he immediately recognized where he was.

"So the rumored young lady on the 55th floor of the Deepest Labyrinth was you, Alice."

"?"

Alice looked at Rhode curiously, but the latter didn't explain further. The Deepest Labyrinth was the most well-known dungeon among players. As the final maze of the game, it was the best platform for high-level players to display their strengths. As the dangers of each floor far exceeded the average level of players, only the strongest groups of players could overcome them. Everything from the grass and roots of every floor had been rummaged by them and basically nothing was left unturned.

On the raid rankings for this maze, Starlight always held the first position while others chased closely behind. After all, Starlight was the number one guild and apart from focusing only on this dungeon, they were also occupied with other matters. This was the reason why Starlight wasn't the first to clear every single floor. There were also countless players who searched for hidden tasks in the maze and with their incessant efforts, they actually discovered some secrets.

One of the most popular secrets was the 'sleeping young lady on the 55th floor'.

There was also a rumor among players that if one passed through the 55th floor using the right method, one could find a young lady laying in a bed of petals inside a crystal coffin at the exit and... That was all.

That's right. That was all to it.

Players couldn't open the coffin because it was entirely a virtual image that couldn't be touched. Not only that, but there were also no triggered missions and players couldn't engage in further investigation as though she didn't exist at all. Besides, despite using several ways to bring information of the image out of the dungeon, it didn't activate any mission. There was once a period of time when players believed that the young lady was only a BUG in the game. Some players also suggested and complained on the official forum but failed to receive any response from the game masters. This meant that there was indeed a mission tied to the young lady, but players just couldn't accept it no matter what. Over time, players treated the image as something like a post-credit scene and passed it down to the later generations for fun. Of course, some players also came up with fan-fiction stories about that mysterious young lady and narrated the reason for her death.

And now it seemed like the answer was clear. The young lady was in fact Alice. The reason why players couldn't touch her was perhaps due to her having hidden her body in history. But... Since that was the case, why did the game display Alice's image there?

As Rhode advanced in the maze, he quickly realized that it was different from what he remembered from the game. Other than the similar entrance, other areas seemed to be in the middle of construction with many human-shaped shadows swinging tools diligently. Some of the human-shaped shadows were also having conversations as they walked past Rhode. It was like a bustling construction site.

Although Rhode was curious, he knew that he couldn't see these people clearly as he was in history right now. But judging from their heights, most of them should either be dwarves or adult humans—if no child labors were involved.

"———!"

As soon as Rhode turned the corner, he instantly felt a burst of intense palpitation in his chest. The sensation was so powerful as though something disastrous was about to happen. It wasn't a sense of nervousness that one felt when one faced threats. Instead, it was closer to a kind of high that was beyond excitement.

What's going on?!

Rhdoe came to a halt abruptly and knitted his brows, carefully discerning the sensation that stemmed from the bottom of his heart. He clenched his fists and took in a deep breath. Even though he didn't know what had happened ahead of him, it seemed to be related to him in a way where he knew something important was waiting for him. But no matter what, he couldn't turn back now.

Rhode moved forward.

The dark room instantly lit up and turned vibrant. Not only that, but the human-shaped shadows around him also revealed their appearances. Just as Rhode predicted, they were mainly humans, as well as some dwarves and elves. Dwarves were responsible for digging while humans were in charge of construction. On the other hand, elves were there to set up some sort of magic ritual. Not only that, but the fuzzy voices also became clearer, turning from clamors to distinct conversations.

"The construction progress is too slow. We may not be able to finish it on time..."

"We have to speed up. Maybe we can request for undead creatures from the Dark Dragon?"

"Do you want those brainless creatures to make this place collapse? Damn it. If I weren't around to watch them, those fools would keep digging to the core of this world!"

Interesting...

Rhode scanned the maze before him curiously. This was the first time he witnessed the construction process of this dungeon. Judging from the reactions of the people around him, they seemed to be really serious about this project and were working tirelessly on this job.

Then, one particular person caught his eye.

It was a young lady with pitch-black long hair, standing quietly on the empty field and looking up with a calm, sorrowful look. She let out a soft sigh, lowered her head, and looked toward Rhode.

Christie?

No, she isn't.

This young lady was obviously older than Christie, at around 17 years old. Her pupils were golden and not purple like Christie's. Apart from that, she didn't seem any different from Christie or Rhode. It could also be said that if it weren't for the different-colored pupils, he would have believed that this was his other self who had disguised as a woman. But unlike him, the young lady exuded a warm, gentle, and imposing aura. For some unknown reason, he felt that he should have known who this mysterious young lady was.

Could it be...

No, it can't be. This must be a coincidence...

"Your Majesty."

As Rhode pondered with knitted brows, he heard a voice behind him and turned around. It was Alice, hugging a huge, heavy book and slowly approaching the mysterious young lady. The young lady revealed a kind, heartwarming smile.

"Alice... You're here. How's the situation over there?"

"Chaos is gathering. They have discovered the gaps in this world and it is only a matter of time before they pass through the dragon soul protection."

"Is that so..."

The young lady closed her eyes and pondered in silence. Then, she spoke.

"Indeed. Chaos is as powerful as we imagined, but this is all we can do, Alice."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Alice bowed humbly before lifting her head.

"Your Majesty, I may go overboard for speaking out of turn, but must we resort to this? It is extremely dangerous to go on the path toward the outer world..."

"This is the only solution that we can think of."

The young lady waved her hand and interrupted.

"The future that we predicted is identical to the past that you saw, at least from what we're seeing now. Alice, we have to change before we're dragged into the inevitable destruction of a contradictory spiral. We need to find a way to keep our world alive. No matter how small the possibility is, as long as we keep repeating, we will have the possibility to turn them into identifiable facts. No matter if it requires a hundred, thousand, or tens thousand times, we must continue to find the opportunity that will change this fate... I'm sorry, but this is our willfulness."

"No, Your Majesty."

Alice lowered her head deeply.

"It is our honor. No matter how many times history spirals, we will do our best to fulfill your wishes and let the gear of destiny completely detach from its original trajectory. This is what we should do as your subjects."

"Thank you, Alice. I wholeheartedly wish for all of you to find your true blessings in the future."

The young lady gazed at Alice and for some unknown reasons, Rhode felt like her gaze was as though penetrating through Alice and into him.

"In future, I may not appear before all of you again. But I believe that there will be a person who will guide all of you away from this fate. Until that day comes..."

"...!"

Suddenly, all the clamors around him were muted abruptly. The whole world fell into complete silence and darkness, only for a dazzling crystal coffin to appear in midair. There was a young lady with her eyes closed within as though in deep sleep.

"Now's the chance, Your Majesty. Please remove the seal! Destroy that coffin!"

"This is the critical moment..."

Rhode shook his head and cleared his head. Then, he raised his right arm and a silver holy sword appeared in his hand. He brandished the sword and released a blinding blade ray that divided the dark world into two. In the blink of an eye, the crystal coffin shattered and its fragments erupted into countless magical rays that wound around Alice, slowly shaping into a plain, pitch-black dress. Then, Alice slowly descended from midair and landed into his arms.

At the same time, he heard a voice whisper to his ear.

... I'll leave it to you, Big Brother...

Chapter 950: Spiral of Past and Future

Everything ended.

When Rhode came back to his senses, he had returned to the library. The only difference now was the sleeping young lady in his arms. He felt her weight on the crook of his arms, as well as her scent. If this were to happen under normal circumstances, he would have enjoyed it. But now, he solemnly placed her on the chair and shortly after, the air around them vibrated, and the other Alice walked out of the thin air and went up to him. She stooped over and gave a respectful bow.

"Thank you for your assistance, Your Majesty."

"You're welcome. I have something important to ask you."

"I understand. Please wait a moment."

Alice nodded. She approached and touched her body on the chair with both hands. Then, she closed her eyes and her body emanated the dazzling brilliance of light specks and illuminated the dim library. The brilliance merged into an enormous sphere of light that enveloped Alice and her body completely.

"————"

At this moment, a huge magic ritual appeared in midair and shrouded the sphere of light. Shortly after, the radiance dispersed and strong airflow shook the shelves. The mysterious magic ritual disappeared and apart from the table and chair on which the asleep Alice was sitting on, there was nothing else.

"Argh..."

After a few seconds, Alice opened her eyes and saw Rhode standing before her. She slowly stood to her feet and gave a humble bow.

"The fusion was successful. Thank you for your assistance, Your Majesty."

"You've thanked me just now, so you don't have to repeat yourself." Rhode heaved a sigh of relief before gazing at her sternly. "I have an important question. I guess you understand what I mean."

"Of course, Your Majesty."

Alice responded without a change in her expression. She waved and gestured with her right hand and a chair appeared behind Rhode out of thin air. The empty cups on the rather messy table were refilled with piping hot red tea. Alice smiled and laid down her right hand.

So this is her ability...

Rhode looked at the teacups before sitting down on the chair. Even though Alice didn't explain further, based on his judgment of Deity Wardens like Marlene and Christie, Alice who held the ability to grasp history couldn't possibly only possess the harmless ability of hiding herself in the past. Perhaps she might also be able to use certain ways to repeat history in the present time. Based on this point, she definitely wasn't one to mess with.

The images that he had witnessed while helping Alice search for her body definitely weren't something that he could forget about in a flash. It was especially so for the unexplainable scenes that appeared in the Deepest Labyrinth. He was pressing for an answer now.

"I know what you want to ask, Your Majesty. But before that, please pardon my rudeness. May I know how much you understand about the Dragon Soul Continent?"

"Understand?"

Rhode knitted his brows as he felt that this topic seemed to be unrelated to his doubts. But he eventually gave his honest answers. In fact, this was the most basic of basics for any player. The Void Dragon opened up a territory of Order from a land of Chaos. The five Creator Dragon Souls created heaven and earth with their own means. Their souls became the dragon soul protections and they used the Seven Fantasy Boundaries and Four Main Elemental Planes of Existence as the basis to create this world. In the deep underground, the territories of demons and devils bordered along Chaos. Ever since this world existed, both sides had clashed in endless battles. As for the surface, it consisted of the Country of Light, the Country of Darkness, and the Country of Law that were established by the Creator Dragon Souls... At least, this was what was written on the official website.

"That's just the history of future generations."

Alice extended her arms and a heavy book with historical images appeared in midair and floated between her arms.

"Initially, after Her Majesty created this space of Order to avoid Chaos, the other four Creator Dragon Souls submitted to her. Back then, the Dragon Soul Continent was a territory belonging to my lord and everyone surrendered to her. There were no exceptions for anyone."

"In other words..."

Rhode suddenly recalled a mission that he completed with Marlene. Back then, he unintentionally entered the ruins and that was when one of his cards awakened. Not only that, but he also gained new strength. According to Marlene, it was one of the ruins of the Fassicarl Kingdom and it was just as Alice had mentioned. Its ruins and signs of civilization were distributed in every corner of the Dragon Soul Continent. If it were just as Alice mentioned,that Dragon Soul Continent only had one kingdom, this mystery was then resolved. But...

"Since that's the case, why did it split up later on?"

"It didn't split up. It was merely entrusted to others."

Alice spoke and flipped the page.

"You still don't understand, Your Majesty? Why did we build the continent?"

"Why? Isn't that simple..." Then, Rhode came to a sudden realization. Indeed, he had never considered this important question. Although he found many clues and answers in the past, he realized that things weren't as simple as he imagined until Alice laid out all the facts. The establishment of the Dragon Soul Continent was to resist Chaos and give a survival space to the people of Order. The dragon soul protections built Order like an egg shell, at the same time resisting Chaos. Once the dragon soul protections lost their effects, Chaos would infiltrate through the gaps. This was common sense for players and they experienced it in the later stages of the game. But... Rhode discovered that he had neglected the fact that perhaps this continent was much more fragile and dangerous than he had imagined.

Take Earth, for instance. With the protection of the atmosphere, humans were able to live on the surface. But if they lost the atmosphere, without the support of devices, they couldn't survive in a vacuum. On the contrary, unless humans destroyed the atmosphere themselves, they would hardly feel threatened.

So what if the Dragon Soul Continent was Earth while the universe was Chaos?

The universe tried to eliminate the atmosphere and destroy all creatures on Earth. If that happened, would Earth survive? On the contrary, the Dragon Soul Continent had been fighting against Chaos, so just how much Chaos were they facing?

Unlimited.

Rhode felt a chill run down his spine. A scene that had his hair standing on end instantly appeared in his mind—a beautiful globe floating in the universe while all around, the universe was shifty, turbid Chaos. It was as though a marble was thrown into a dangerous sea of raging waves and reefs. What made things worse was that the sea was also filled with the consciousness to destroy the marble.

Under such a circumstance, the fact that the Dragon Soul Continent hadn't been smashed to bits by Chaos was too miraculous.

"Yes, it is just as you think, Your Majesty. The day will come when the Dragon Soul Continent fails to stop the end of the past and future and crumples. This world ultimately isn't a temporary shelter and can't exist forever. What the five Creator Dragon Souls had to do was find an alternative path for survival. For that, they left this world and their powers behind to preserve the dragon soul protection. This was how the dragon soul heirs came about. Although they were named dragon soul heirs, they were only vessels to maintain stability and absorb power."

After plainly describing the dragon soul heirs without the use of respectful speech, Alice flipped the page again.

"But the will of life can be changed. When the time is long enough to erase warnings of the past, foolish and meaningless battles will resurface. They forgot about their responsibilities and indulged in meaningless battles and evidence, wreaking havoc and doing despicable things with powers that don't belong to them. But... this is just the desires of mortals and... Isn't worthy of a mention."

With just those last five words, Alice obliterated the hard work and results that all the dragon soul heirs achieved ever since the Creation War.

"So everything that you did in the past was for..."

Rhode spoke.

"Since it was inevitable for the world to perish, it only meant that the trajectory of fate for the Dragon Soul Continent was fixed. As long as history repeats itself over and over again with sufficient changes to make a difference, it may crumple the trajectory of fate, which in turn gives us the future that we desire. As a result, we return to the past repeatedly and take different decisions, hoping that the trajectory of fate will shift. That was our plan."

"So, did you succeed?"

Rhode said.

This time, Alice didn't answer immediately. She pondered for a long while.

"We won't have our answer until the real results are out."

The black-haired young lady spoke with an unwavering tone.

Chapter 951: Path to the Future

"Phew..."

Rhode sat on the sofa, closed his eyes, and rubbed his forehead, trying to process all the information. He had learned so many unexpected and bewildering facts on this trip to seek Alice's help. This was the first time he learned that the five Creator Dragon Souls weren't truly dead. Instead, even though the so-called dragon soul heirs had indeed inherited the dragon soul powers, the reason why they received the powers were only because the dragon soul protection needed a hub for absorbing and converting powers. The dragon soul protection required replenishment from the spiritual powers of humans and frankly, the dragon soul heirs were merely the materialization of the worshiped figures. Through this way, the population had a person to devote themselves to and the process of offering their spiritual powers would be much clearer and homogeneous.

Apart from that, Rhode also gained an understanding of the Deepest Labyrinth. There was in fact a massive Dimension Gate on the deepest floor, which was designed for the five Creator Dragon Souls to pass through safely. Not only that, but in order to prevent outsiders from entering or destroying the Dimension Gate, the Deepest Labyrinth was also built.

Rhode had an association of ideas about the Dimension Gate. If his theory was correct, the reason why the game of 'Dragon Soul Continent' appeared in the real world might be due to the five Creator Dragon Souls who created it. But why would they create this game and why did he transmigrate here? Alice didn't give an answer to these questions because according to her, the six Deity Wardens were only responsible for executing the plans, which included the constant reset of history to create distortion and forcefully crumple the trajectory of fate. As for where the five Creator Dragon Souls went and what they did in the other world, the six Deity Wardens weren't authorized to know. Even though Alice was the History Deity Warden, the history that she recorded was only of that in this world.

But Rhode felt like the situation wasn't this simple. The young lady he saw in the Deepest Labyrinth and the voice echoing in his ears definitely weren't meaningless illusions. Could it be that the five Creator Dragon Souls were related to his younger sister? Or perhaps his younger sister was the reincarnation of the Void Dragon? After some serious consideration, this in fact seemed possible. Ever since his younger sister was born, he was clearly aware that deep inside her mind was a huge mystery. Perhaps others wouldn't know that, but the bizarre mental and physical connections between them made him realize it. But back then, he was only an ordinary child and the inexplicable irritability in his head wasn't comfortable for him at all. Not only that, but the reason he chose to play 'Dragon Soul Continent' was because his younger sister purchased the device for it earlier on. She wanted to enjoy the life of an ordinary human in the game. While Rhode wasn't dubious of her decision, she eventually left the world before she had the chance to fully enjoy the game. It was also for the sake of fulfilling her wish that he started playing the game. If not, why would he ever be in the mood for it?

Rhode felt doubtful. If Alice was right and his younger sister was the Void Dragon, one of the true, mighty gods who created this world, she shouldn't just pass on like that.

"Sigh... What a headache."

Rhode shook his head in doubts. Even though he had discovered these secrets, he realized that even more mysteries that came with them. For instance, if this world was in fact the Dragon Soul Continent that he played in, why would he be bound to the system? Besides, not only could the system affect him, but it could also construct buildings quickly like in the game. All of these were major mysteries and he felt like it wasn't as simple as they seemed. But since Alice expressed that she wasn't aware, he was also left with no choices.

Perhaps he should consider Mini Bubble Gum's suggestion to explore the Deepest Labyrinth? According to Alice, Deepest Labyrinth was entirely designed by the five Creator Dragon Souls. Maybe he could find some clues in there.

Also, about the destruction of this continent...

After the conversation with Alice, Rhode also learned that the destruction of this continent wasn't as simple as just the infiltration of Chaos. If his imagination was true, Order would be shredded into bits by Chaos in the future and that would be the ultimate destruction. Alice didn't give a specific time for when the catastrophe would happen. According to her, she only recorded the past and predicting the future wasn't part of her scope as the History Deity Warden. The six Deity Wardens' jobs were only to shift and change the trajectory of fate from the lowest level. The previous invasion of Chaos took over half of the entire continent. It could also be said that the Void Dragon's territory was used as the bait to attract Chaos while others established Order barriers to resist the oncoming attacks.

Rhode finally understood why Alice held a dismissive attitude toward the other dragon soul heirs. The six Deity Wardens worked their hearts out for the continent by distorting the trajectory of fate in an infinite cycle and also sacrificed the Void Dragon's territory. But what did the other dragon soul heirs do for them? Not only did they not consider ways to restore Order, but they also clashed for 'meaningless matters' among themselves. In Alice's eyes, perhaps the high and mighty dragon soul heirs were just like idiots.

But she had the rights to criticize them because Rhode took a look at her level after she retrieved her body.

[Alice Darlaston]

[Race: Deity Warden]

[Level: 100]

As the third seat of the six Deity Wardens, Alice was basically on the same level as the dragon soul heirs. Rhode also read through Marlene's and Christie's details. After Marlene awakened her powers as a Deity Warden, she was level 95. On the other hand, Christie was still less than level 10, but there was a description of [Level 100 (Locked)].

Natives sure have special treatment...

Rhode exclaimed in envy. Marlene was only around level 50 before awakening her powers. But now, her level instantly jumped by at least 40 levels. On the other hand, even though he had also awakened his dragon soul powers, he was still at level 70. It would require a lot of work and time for players to reach the max level of 85 and with considerations to his identity now, he had to reach level 100 to hit max level. He compared Marlene's and Christie's details to his pathetic level. He wondered how he could go about gaining the 30 levels... Wouldn't this be too much of a tall order?

Also, something worth mentioning was that his leveling system also changed after he awakened his dragon soul powers. Talent trees that required several skill points to be maxed out had been standardized. Right now, all new skills needed only one skill point to be unlocked and two skill points to be maxed out. Rhode finally understood why the BOSSes could continuously activate skills without the slightest restraint during battles.

This is awesome...

With the attitude of a nouveau riche, Rhode input all the skill points that he gained from leveling up to level 70 into his passive skills, upgrading them to their maximum level.

Then, he focused his attention on something more important: the Order Ceremony.

Rhode gathered everyone the next morning. Perhaps due to the chaotic battles in bed last night, the young ladies felt rather awkward and uncomfortable with one another. Even though he wasn't sure how they resolved the issues among them, it seemed like everything worked out well and he gladly accepted it.

"I guess you're aware already."

Rhode clapped his hands to draw the attention of the young ladies.

"Yesterday, we received an invitation from the Country of Law's emissaries for the Order Ceremony that will be taking place in the Sacred Palace. You should be aware of the specific details by now. This time, the ceremony will be unlike the one in the Country of Light because the other four Creator Dragon Souls will be present. Unsurprisingly, the three archangels and four legendary generals will also be there. Do you understand what I mean?"

"..."

Many within the group sucked in a deep breath of cold air. Four dragon soul heirs, three archangels, and four legendary generals; the most powerful forces of this continent would be appearing in the same place. Just listening to this statement turned their stomach to ice.

But not everyone felt the same way. Alice stood on the spot and hugged the heavy book in her arms. Orchid Heart yawned sleepily and nodded in acknowledgment. On the other side, Canary twitched her brows and remained silent and Mini Bubble Gum revealed an eager expression as though she had decided to sharpen her sword to slaughter anyone who defied them.

"We have to be more careful this time. Alice, Marlene, Gillian, Canary, and Mini Bubble Gum. Five of you will follow me to the Country of Law. As for your mission... You should know what I want."

"Of course, Leader!"

Mini Bubble Gum raised her hand in excitement.

"No matter if it's the group of feathered birdmen or shameless dark animals, I will crush anyone who finds trouble with us!"

Rhode had to admit that even though Mini Bubble Gum wasn't politically sensitive, she was equally matched with Anne in terms of battle capabilities.

"That's right. This time we are heading there to display the strength of the Void Territory so no one thinks that we're pushovers. I guess you're also aware that this concerns the peace and future of the Void Territory. At least for the temporary peace, Lapis."

"Ah! Yes!"

The startled Lapis lifted her head nervously. She could be considered a 'public enemy' right now. After that incident, Rhode went and asked her what she did to make him fall for her trap. Even though it was a great achievement that a Deity Warden and dragon soul heir fell into her trap, he was hoping that she could focus more of her energy on the right things instead.

"I'll leave all the preparation to you. Can you handle it?"

"Yes... No problem, Sir Rhode."

Lapis lowered her head in embarrassment and answered softly in the buzz of a mosquito. Rhode shook his head helplessly and shifted his gaze to the other young ladies.

"The duties for others remain the same. Lize, you'll take over Marlene's duties for the time being and inform us of any issues through the communication report. For this official appearance representing the Void Territory, we are absolutely not allowed to fail!"

Chapter 952: Dragon Souls Meeting (1)

Dense layers of pitch-black clouds drifted across the night sky while loud, ear-deafening thunder boomed from within, shaking the ship that was sailing among the clouds. It wasn't a magic warship built with a strong, steel hull from the Munn Kingdom. Instead, it was just an old, ordinary ship with a towering mast penetrating the clouds and white sails swelling to the winds. On both sides of the hull, several enormous, pitch-black Night Wyverns expanded their wings and dragged the ship forward by the chains.

Rolling thunder and pitch-black clouds only represented one thing.

"I feel uncomfortable every time I witness this view. Compared to the thunderous clouds, I much prefer peaceful nights and the round moon."

A woman grumbled under her breath and unfolded the handheld fan gently. Even though she was high up in the chilly air, she only wore a thin and long, luxurious black gauze dress that revealed her snowy arms and alluring chest. Her bright, silky golden hair hung down to her ankles, drifting in the gentle wind like satin. She had a curvy waist that no men could withstand embracing in their arms. Her feminine, delicate face perfectly accentuated her mature, flirtatious charm like an irresistible love poison. If she were at a banquet, she would definitely be the most eye-catching star of the night and not even her master could steal her spotlight. But it was a pity that no one appreciated her grace here.

"Because peaceful nights are more suitable for you to sleep around? Floozy."

A deep, heavy voice full of disdain and mockery sounded, but the woman didn't reveal any angered expression. On the contrary, she turned around with a lovable smile, folded her hands, and gazed at the massive, two-meter-tall knight clad in pitch-black, steel armor.

"Oh no... Please don't say that, Your Majesty Balende. A woman's body is actually a really useful weapon, okay? It can beat swords without sacrifice or bloodshed. I can reach my goal when I use this wonderful body to seduce the victim, so isn't that the best result one can expect? Or could it be that all men love to witness bloodshed? How violent... It obviously isn't necessary, but it's not like I can't understand men's desire to conquer, that is."

The woman puffed out her chest proudly. Then, she let out a chuckle.

"Hmph, these shameless words sure suit you. After your position is snatched, I will surely be there to witness how you get toyed with as a slave. Although I'm not interested in your filthy body, I do want to know how you feel when you get played by others instead. That will definitely delight me."

A red glint flashed in Balende's helmet. He scoffed and swept an indifferent glance at the woman before turning around and left the deck. The woman covered her mouth with her slender hair and chuckled.

"Oh no, Your Majesty Balende. You just hurt my feelings. I didn't expect you to be so concerned about someone like me. I feel so flattered...

The tone in her voice sounded sincere and glad, with a subtle hint of ill intention.

If this ceremony weren't important, he definitely wouldn't be here.

"Oh no-no, Big Brother. It seems like the relationship between your subjects is still as terrible as usual."

Erin watched the commotion from the window. She turned around and smiled at the man who sat silently by the desk. At this moment, the man closed his eyes as though he was meditating. Even though he heard his younger sister's comments, his face that was as strong as granite spoke of absolute confidence and calmness.

"Don't worry."

"But it will be better for them to maintain friendlier relationships especially for the Order Ceremony. Our Country of Darkness may be belittled by others if they see us as a joke."

"Let them be. Their consequences of contempt will be compensated by blood and fire. If they are truly that foolish, that will be the corresponding price to pay."

"Really..."

Erin shook her head helplessly and turned around. Although her big brother didn't mention it, she knew that this upcoming Order Ceremony was different from the past. There was only one reason. The appearance of a new dragon soul and even more so, the Void Dragon.

The most important reason as to why the Dragon Soul Continent could maintain a subtle balance was due to the Country of Law. Even though there were 'five' Creator Dragon Souls, the Judgment & Ruling Twin Dragons were in the same camp while the Void Dragon was nowhere to be found. This meant that no matter the Light Dragon or Dark Dragon, neither of them could confront the twin dragons individually. Not only that, but the twin dragons' ability was also 'rules', which meant that as long as they were in any land of Order, they could maximize the strength of their damage output.

If the Dark Dragon Ion's ambition was to only destroy the Country of Light, he could do so without much effort. But Erin was clearly aware that her big brother was a perfectionist. If he destroyed the Country of Light, he wouldn't feel comfortable not dealing with the Country of Law too. This was the reason why he had been searching for supreme powers to confront the twin dragons.

And now, a new dragon soul heir was born.

There was a possibility that the balance would be broken.

The Light Dragon was never in Ion's consideration. The hostility between both nations represented their relationship. Even though Ion sent out his dark forces and infiltrated the Country of Light to a certain degree, the infiltration would be meaningless if he couldn't take down the Munn Kingdom, and this might even give the Light Dragon a chance to free herself. There was once an opportunity for Ion and he was only one step away from the Munn Kingdom being entirely destroyed. But... Things ended differently.

"Erin."

"Yes, Big Brother?"

"You've met him before, right? Tell me your thoughts."

Erin let out a helpless bitter smile. Of course, she knew that Ion had always been watching her private outings. As a result, she was placed on house arrest ever since she returned and was only recently released. This showed just how much Ion hated an unorganized and undisciplined approach.

"Yes, Big Brother... Hmm, how should I put it? I only met him before his awakening. He was an extremely calm person who rarely revealed emotions and seemed to understand everything well, as though there were no secrets in this world. Besides, it is apparent from our previous battle that he seems familiar with our Country of Darkness and may even have some inside information. Well, these are only my guesses."

"Is that so?"

Ion responded coldly as though he was disinterested but Erin was aware that this was just his usual attitude. He only needed reports and not suggestions. As long as he made the decision, he would strongly and unwaveringly believe that he would be the final victor. He never allowed anyone to comment on his thoughts and any objections would be denied. It seemed like the previous setback wasn't enough to turn him around. In his eyes, the failure in his attack against the Munn Kingdom wasn't worthy of a mention. Just like now, the reason why he participated in his ceremony was mainly because he wanted to personally understand the new dragon soul heir and see if he had any value to be roped in.

However, Erin thought that such intentions were more dangerous.

It still isn't enough.

A carriage would rock if its wheels ran over a large stone and the correct way for the carriage to stabilize was to decrease its speed. But Erin realized that her big brother had no regards for the dangers ahead and nor any intention to slow down. On the contrary, he continued to dash ahead. Erin knew that a rare and non-threatening setback in his eyes possibly represented that the flat avenue would soon turn into a muddy road. If he didn't slow down, the carriage would sink into the mud and might even flip over.

And that man seemed to possess such an ability to do so. In the beginning, Erin treated Rhode as an interesting plaything she could manipulate. But now, he might possibly be her big brother's biggest obstacle. Even though Erin had only met Rhode twice, she sharply sensed that Rhode was similar to her big brother in some areas. They were confident, seemed to clutch everything within their grasps, wouldn't express their emotions, and always believed in their judgment and decisions. But what concerned Erin was that Rhode was smarter in handling situations than her big brother, and this was apparent from the names of his territory and how he didn't bother about trifles. This was the most troublesome type of person to handle. Perhaps because Rhode seemed like a person who lacked so-called pride and honor, he seemed more dangerous because he would pull back appropriately as soon as the situation didn't progress well, disregarding the criticisms he received. No, if this was only the case, he wouldn't be that different from her big brother. The biggest difference between them was that Rhode could effortlessly jump over the deepest pit in his heart and this was the most important obstacle her big brother couldn't overcome.

Erin lifted her head worriedly. Her black pupils reflected the image of her big brother.

I wouldn't be this worried if that man was only an overlord. But now...

Erin felt that this test for her big brother was too difficult. This wasn't a comparison between their individuality or overall strength. Instead, it was about something purer and deeper.

How will it turn out exactly?

Erin shifted her gaze to the window and let out a subtle sigh.

Chapter 953: Dragon Souls Meeting (2)

The roaring air flowed across the sides of the hull and Lilian's mood was as though the warm, dazzling sunlight reflecting off the golden hull.

"Lalala... How's it, Sonia? I told you so, right? Those parliament idiots can't stop me as long as I get the invitation!"

The little girl sitting on the throne rocked her legs and seemed so lively and anxious like she was about to go on a picnic with her family. Even though this behavior was normal for her age, it seemed pretty inappropriate for the situation.

"You're right, Your Majesty."

Sonia responded with a smile. Of course, as a parliament member, she knew that the situation wasn't as simple as Lilian thought. In fact, she didn't expect the Country of Law had this much influence where even the Light Parliament couldn't stop their emissaries from inviting Lilian to the ceremony. As a result, the parliament could only agree to the invitation and the main reason was because the ceremony was held in the Country of Law and not the Country of Light. It wouldn't influence the people of the Country of Light too much. If not, they wouldn't have accepted the invitation so straightforwardly.

But even so, Sonia clearly knew that the parliament had no intention of wasting this chance. She was aware that the parliament had sent their representatives to the Country of Law and planned to publicly confront Rhode about his violence and indiscriminate slaughter of their border army. Sonia just couldn't figure out why the parliament was so daring. They were tormented by Rhode for a long time so hadn't they understood that he wouldn't fall into their trap? Moreover, the confrontation would be happening at a ceremony hosted by the Country of Law. Weren't they afraid that this would cause dissatisfaction in the Country of Law?

Well... Forget it. Since I'm not the one doing the confrontation.

Sonia smiled at this thought. She poured the piping hot milk tea for the little girl in front of her. Back then, Sonia was concerned that the parliament would make her in charge of the confrontation. But now, since someone was willing to take the initiative and die in her place, she would gladly accept it.

But things weren't as plain sailing, at least from what Sonia knew.

Even though Sonia followed Rhode's orders and stirred as much trouble as possible among the humans of the internal department and external non-humans and successfully created several riots, it still was far from enough. Although the parliament faced a lot of challenges, the election managed to continue and the new chairman would soon be elected.

And there was a problem... with that man.

Sonia was sure of that. As a politician, one had to consider interests before anything else. At the current stage, with a new dragon soul heir, the prime consideration should be to prevent him from joining the enemy. It was especially so after considering the Void Territory's geographical location. Once the new dragon soul heir came into any agreement with the Country of Darkness, then the Country of Darkness could use it as a pedal to easily get past the Munn Kingdom and attack the Country of Light directly. Everyone knew that the reason why Rhode previously got involved in the war between the Country of Light and Country of Darkness was due to protecting his territory. On the other hand, if the Munn Kingdom lacked resources and firepower at war, he would also assist and care nothing about the life and death of the Country of Light.

Under such a circumstance, a certain degree of political negotiation was essential. Even though what the man did for the Light Parliament in the past was harmful, it was understandable that sacrifices were sometimes necessary in politics. There were rational parliament members who suggested not to clash with the Void Territory for now and to engage in further negotiations with the overlord instead. On the contrary, that particular man continued to raise proposals that were non-beneficial for the Country of Light. On surface, the banner was written with 'the Country of Law is a nation that seeks law and Order and will definitely not turn a blind eye'. It convinced many parliament members to pass the approval, but it was impossible for Sonia to not be aware that 'Order' in the Country of Law was actually referring to the 'Order' of the entire continent after being with Rhode for a long time. That man wouldn't use the incident in Highland City against Rhode and she believed that the parliament was also aware of that. If not, why would they use the laws of the Light Mainland instead of the Country of Law's creation code as a basis? All in all, they were also clear that the Country of Law wouldn't care about their interests in this problem, wasn't it?

The Country of Law, which consisted mainly of elves, wasn't favorable to the Country of Light's exclusion policies. It was especially so after the slave trafficking incident that happened by the border when humans captured elves as their slaves. Previously, the Country of Light's army suffered gravely in Highland City and it was imaginable how many elves in the Country of Law clapped their hands in celebration, so why would they help the parliament to go against the Void Territory?

But that man actually suggested this proposal, and the other parliament members suspected he was insane. It was due to this reason that Sonia felt dubious of him. She didn't know where the exact problem was but she knew that the man definitely wouldn't commit such a mistake. Right now, he was as though pushing the Country of Light into the abyss, step by step. Besides... For some unknown reasons, Sonia felt uncomfortable about him. Just an exchange of glances left her disgusted as though her soul and body were corroded.

"I'm looking forward to meeting Big Brother Rhode... I'm wondering when I can meet him."

Lilian spoke with anticipation. Sonia looked at her with a gentle gaze.

No matter what, Master will have his solution.

At the same time, the other cabin was tense, unlike Lilian's.

"Sigh... Why are both of you so nervous? This won't work, okay? We rarely have the chance to travel, so shouldn't you relax a little more?"

Lydia spoke with a witty smile. She narrowed her eyes and curled up lazily on the sofa. Beside her was Gaya, who sat on her heels as usual, sweeping the harp strings with her delicate fingers and playing melodious music that livened up the cabin. But at the same time, two other people weren't in the mood to appreciate the music.

"What exactly is going on, Your Royal Highness Lydia? Can you please tell me why your overlord became the new dragon soul heir?"

Boulder held the sword hilt by his waist and stood upright in front of the window. He shot a fierce look at Lydia, reminiscent of a sharp unsheathed blade. Even though Serene didn't say a word beside him, her serious gaze also expressed her thoughts.

"Doesn't it go without saying that buds that stand strong after the heavy storm will eventually bloom into beautiful flowers? Although I'm also surprised, what has it got to do with anything? At least for now, he isn't our enemy. Isn't that so, Boulder?"

Lydia answered with chuckles, but Boulder obviously wasn't satisfied.

"So you knew that this would happen? Why didn't you inform us beforehand? You're aware of the serious consequences that this brings for us and Her Majesty, right?"

"Soft shoots are to be cherished and it will die if you water it excessively or give it too much attention. Besides..." Lydia lifted her head and her mesmerizing eyes glinted with unrelenting determination. "Exactly what serious consequences does this bring us? Isn't it great news that we now have a new, powerful, and reliable ally?"

"Humans are greedy creatures."

Boulder scoffed.

"A former friendship doesn't mean that he will always stand on our side. Besides, he may even manipulate the feelings that Her Majesty has for him. From a certain aspect, isn't he more dangerous than the Dark Dragon..."

Before Boulder finished his sentence, Lydia interrupted.

"Oh, you're also aware that humans are greedy, Boulder? So why didn't you and Serene do anything about that? You should be clearer than me about Her Majesty's treatment in the Country of Light, so did either of you fulfill your responsibilities as guardians? As Her Majesty's subjects, what have you done before pointing fingers at someone else? Why would Her Majesty trust an outsider instead of any of you?"

The melodious sound of harp stopped abruptly.

The boundless silence enveloped the cabin. Lydia sat on the sofa languidly and yet, seemed so incomparably solemn. After a few moments, Serene eradicated the awkward atmosphere.

"... We weren't sure if she had the right to be served by us."

"No matter how many years have gone or how many changes one has experienced, earth will always be earth, sky will always be sky, and the sun will always be sun. Why? Could it be that both of you intend to continue waiting upon my lord to affirm her powers? The lord possesses dragon soul powers, or perhaps I've received the wrong knowledge?"

"But she..."

"We're not discussing Her Majesty's problems. We're talking about ours."

Lydia airily waved her hand before staring at the two archangels.

"No matter how blunt the talons of the eagle soaring in the sky are, it will never team up with jackals and wolves."

Lydia closed her eyes.

"At the very least, I will do my best in my duties. So what will the both of you do?"

Chapter 954: Dragon Souls Meeting (3)

Sacred Palace.

Located at the top of the mountain surrounded by thick layers of cloud, vines, and dense forest, the white palace was as elegant and majestic as ever. A small path, the width of three people walking side-by-side, extended from the entrance to the foot of the mountain, several kilometers away. On the path were members of religious orders and believers, slowly heading toward the top with their hands on their chest, saying their prayers softly. This would be an ordinary day for the Country of Law, if the invited guests weren't involved.

The tall, heavy doors opened gradually, allowing the dazzling sunlight to spill through its opening, reflecting off the perfectly unstained floors to completely illuminate the sacred hall.

A young lady around the age of 19 and clad in a set of gorgeous, white armor entered through the doors. She had a full head of long, emerald green hair that extended to her waist, flowing gracefully in the gentle wind as she strode toward the platform. Her delicate, attractive face contrasted a stern and ice-cold expression that repelled others away by a thousand miles. Anyone who witnessed her expression would subconsciously pull themselves together and put up a serious attitude. Her golden pupils glinted with supreme rule and order and what was more attractive was the huge sword on her back. Unlike a double-handed longsword, it seemed just like an ordinary sword, if one neglected its length.

Although the sword was slung diagonally, this two-meter-long sword almost reached the ground. Even though the young lady was tall, one would be curious as to how she would pull it out of its sheath. But this didn't seem to be a problem for her at all. She stomped her heels to the floor like a soldier in salute.

"Big Sister, I've received reports that the representatives from the Country of Light, Country of Darkness, and Void Territory will be arriving in two hours. All our preparations are ready."

Like a true soldier, the young lady gave her report clearly and swiftly. But what responded to her was a sweet, languid voice as though the person had just woken up from an afternoon nap, basking in the warm, soothing sun.

"Really... Siena, why are you so uptight? Relax, don't you feel tired after all these years? Alright, come enjoy a cup of tea and relax. I've specially added your favorite honey."

"Big Sister!"

The stern young lady rubbed her forehead and cried out. She looked behind her, ensuring that no one was around, and went up to the platform. The other young lady looked almost the same as her. She sat by the table, savoring delicious desserts and sipping fragrant tea with a gentle smile. On the contrary, this young lady appeared kinder and tender like a goddess. Just her benevolent smile was enough to make one feel as though one's sins were cleansed and received a peace of mind. But it didn't work on the young lady with the longsword as she felt utterly helpless.

"Big Sister! Please don't eat the desserts; those are for our honored guests! How can you do this!"

"Huh? But they haven't arrived, isn't it? We have extras in the back, so just let me have them. Well, why don't you accompany me, Siena? Since I've taken some bites out of them, we can't possibly give them to our guests anymore, right?"

"Big Sister Nalea!"

Siena shrieked, but not only was her elder sister not afraid, but she also lifted the plate with a grin and held it before Siena's face as though presenting a treasure.

"You see, Siena. This is your favorite honey gingerbread. There is so, so much cream. Don't you want to try it?"

"..."

Siena let out a long sigh as she sat powerlessly on the chair and ate a small piece of gingerbread. Nalea's eyes sparkled as she watched her younger sister eat the gingerbread and laid down the plate.

"You're my accomplice now, Siena."

"Alright, so should I decide the crime for us?"

Siena glared at Nalea and lifted a teacup from the table.

"Big Sister, this upcoming Order Ceremony is unlike the ones in the past. Not only are we facing the emissaries from Light and Darkness, but we are also meeting the Void Dragon for the first time, so can you please put your mind to it?! After the Country of Darkness failed to attack the Country of Light, all the neighboring countries have become unstable. Besides, according to our intelligence, Chaos has also infiltrated, and if we don't properly host the ceremony, who knows what will happen in the future!"

"Of course I'm aware of that. But Siena, everyone has been on their toes and if you continue to behave this way, the peaceful discussions will end badly. Everyone should just settle down and hold enjoyable conversations over cups of tea. Yes, that should be the way. After all, this isn't a court, so you don't need to make it so uncomfortable for them. Besides, I believe that everyone is a good child and all will be fine if we communicate properly."

"Sigh..."

Siena lost count of how many times she rubbed her forehead as this had become a habit of hers from a very young age. As one of the twin dragons, she believed that Nalea should be more decisive, but she had always been nonchalant about things and sometimes consciously went against the rules. Fortunately, these were only small incidents, like stealing snacks. If not, who would still respect them as the Judgment & Ruling Twin Dragons?

So many years have gone by, but why isn't Big Sister conscious about her image as the judge?

"I don't know about others but this time, the Void Dragon isn't just an ordinary human. Big Sister, I hope you can pull yourself together. I'm sure you've also seen the reports about him. Don't you feel like he is a dangerous person?"

Perhaps no dragon soul heirs in this world were more familiar about Rhode than the intelligence. Even though his past was a complete mystery, according to the intelligence network of various huge organizations, it was in fact no secret that he took less than two years to appear in the Munn Kingdom and attain this marvelous result. Of course, there was also information that seemed dubious, such as building a fortress in one day. Even though it was a fact that several Grand Mages couldn't achieve this feat, if one were to look at the evidence, there was absolutely no way to obliterate this possibility.

Intricate details from several organizations made Rhode's background seem even more mysterious. For instance, he predicted that the Country of Darkness would launch an ambush and prepared for battle beforehand. As a result, he resisted the undead army twice in a row and crumpled the Country of Darkness's attacks. Furthermore, he also had two godlike, young spell casters who transcended into the Inner Circle as his subjects. Not only that, but he also summoned elves from the Seven Fantasy Boundaries. Moreover, the angel, demon, and white elves—who were thought to be extinct from the surface of this world—had even showed up around him. He led his subjects and opened up the land of Chaos. Many people ridiculed him for being naive and whimsical while some believed that the successes got to his head. But reality slapped them hard. The land of Chaos was perfectly opened up, at the same time the evanescent Void Dragon reappeared once again.

Who exactly is that young man?

This question was the biggest mystery for all the organizational leaders. Even though one could easily attain the answer through results, they couldn't understand it because it was just too miraculous.

"Now, the balance between the Country of Light and Country of Darkness is really tense. In the past, our Country of Law was there to provide support, but now with the appearance of the Void Territory, perhaps the strategic balance will be smashed. What makes the situation worse is that I heard that the Void Dragon dislikes the Country of Light."

Rhode brazenly slaughtered the Light Parliament's most elite troops in front of the Light Dragon. As long as one wasn't a fool, one would know how much he hated the Light Parliament. Moreover, there was also a clash that happened in Highland City a few days ago, as well as the annihilation of the border army by Mini Bubble Gum and Canary.

Siena rubbed her forehead, this time with a throbbing headache. The main purpose of this ceremony was to recognize the birth of the fifth Creator Dragon Soul. Also, Siena hoped to warn Rhode about not being too radical against the Country of Light. But she suspected that her advice would be useless, considering what he did to them in the past.

Shortly after, she put her hand down and restored her stern expression.

"Big Sister, we should get ready now."

Chapter 955: Dragon Souls Meeting (4)

The magic warship pierced through the soft layers of cloud and what revealed itself before them was a green, forest nation.

"Why does it feel... so weak?"

"Weak?"

Mini Bubble Gum gazed in displeasure while Canary turned to her curiously. Mini Bubble Gum was thrilled when she learned that they could finally leave system-restricted territories. But now, after the sense of freshness faded away, she returned to her habitual nitpicking.

"Yes, Big Sister. You see... We represent the mighty Void Territory, so how can we enter the Country of Law on a magic warship without a grand entrance, disembark, and simply join the ceremony? This is too boring! It feels just like the leader of a country taking a plane to join an international conference, disembarks the plane, shakes hands with the hosts, and has a cordial talk in front of a bunch of reporters. The thought of it makes me sick!"

"So what do you intend to do?"

Rhode shifted his gaze from a certain mage biography (he read it like a novel) to the grumbling young lady. Mini Bubble Gum puffed out her chest excitedly and extended a finger.

"I say, we should suddenly appear above them like those aliens in movies who were undetected by radar! We will see those idiotic scientists hugging their heads and running away, screaming "Oh, my God!!!" Then, we shall descend in a dictatorial manner and make those idiots pee their pants! We will announce "We're here to build a highway to our galaxy, so your country that is in the way shall be destroyed..." Hahaha! How's that?! Won't that be fun?!"

"You've watched too many movies."

Rhode focused his attention on the 'novel' in his hand.

"Besides, we're indeed attending a meeting and not planning an alien invasion. I can totally understand your desire to see their sorry reactions, but this really isn't a suitable time. Also, we don't bear any grudges against the Country of Law, so don't stir any unnecessary troubles. Moreover... With our current strength in the Void Territory, we still aren't able to create magic warships that suit us. This time, we are using the Senia Family's modified warship as a facade so we can only make do with it."

"Ahhhhhhh! I can't take it anymore! We will be beaten if we fall behind! We will be crushed if we don't climb our technology tree'! Marlene!"

"Huh? Is anything the matter, Bubble?"

Marlene looked at her curiously.

"We must start to 'climb our technology tree' after we return! Dig out all the wisdom in your brain regarding the Void Dragon's magic technologies! Create the newest and most powerful weapons! No matter if it's the Death Star or Iserlohn Fortress, create them all! Make others tremble in fear under our might and prestige!"

"Huh? This..."

Marlene revealed an uncharacteristic, panicky expression. She couldn't understand what Mini Bubble Gum meant at all... Even though she had awakened and retrieved her wisdom and knowledge as the Deity Warden, Mini Bubble Gum's imposing presence still gave her an indescribable pressure.

Even though Mini Bubble Gum's words were full of personal desires, Rhode actually agreed with her. In the Dragon Soul Continent, being able to conquer the sky independently was a sign of an advanced state of armament. For instance, the Country of Light had angels while the Country of Darkness could create hundreds of thousands of gargoyles. On the other hand, the Country of Law had an army of pegasi. No matter if they domesticated the mystical creatures, relied on their own strength, or created magic weapons, it was vital to dominate the sky. And now, Rhode didn't have any that could protect his skies. If it weren't for the magic warships that the Senia Family provided, he would probably have none. In this area, even though Rhode had powerful, high-end forces, his intermediate and low-end forces were seriously insufficient. Besides, magic warships had been around for years and basically reached the limits of their development. It was about time to search for a new direction.

"Alright, Bubble, your thoughts are interesting. We'll discuss it back home."

Shortly after, Canary went up and stopped Mini Bubble Gum from losing her mind.

"Besides, isn't our equipment made by Marlene and Lapis? We should thank them properly instead."

"Of course, I'm aware of that..."

Mini Bubble Gum spoke, blushing slightly. Indeed, before they headed off, Marlene and Lapis did everything they could to create high-level equipment for them. With the wisdom of magic technology from the Deity Warden and Lapis's Behermes's alchemy skills, the newly-made equipment was amazing.

Canary and Mini Bubble Gum finally switched out of their low-level, aesthetic robes for a set of gorgeous, magical equipment. Canary wore an elegant, scarlet dress with a layered frill skirt that emanated mesmerizing magical radiances. There was also a pitch-black, four-pointed star on the side of the skirt, symbolizing that she belonged to Starlight. Her red coat had long, flaring sleeves and through the translucent floral patterns, one could see her slim, snowy arms. Even though this beautiful outfit seemed ordinary, with Marlene's and Lapis's abilities it became equivalent to level 90 armor, with enhanced anti-magic, high-speed enchantment, and spell storage abilities.

Compared to Canary's gorgeous dress, Mini Bubble Gum's was much simpler. She was clad in a long-sleeved white uniform, short skirt, and leather boots. Perhaps with considerations to Mini Bubble Gum's close-combat skills, Marlene and Lapis specially prepared a pair of white leather gloves, where the back of the gloves were etched using magical threads to showcase a four-pointed star, as well as some complicated magic rituals. Even though it seemed simple, the amount of energy stored couldn't be belittled. If Mini Bubble Gum was a human-shaped missile before, she would be a high-capacity human-shaped nuclear bomb now. It could also be said that if she unleashed her full powers, even the borders of the nation would be devastated.

The biggest reason for Mini Bubble Gum's excitement was that she wanted to personally test out the new equipment. At this moment, Rhode suspected if his decision to bring her was a bad one.

"Forget it. I shall treat this situation like a gangster boss leading his men to a meeting... Oh-oh-oh! This sure makes the whole thing interesting now, Big Sister! Previously I thought that Leader's clothes were too solemn for the occasion. But it seems perfect for him as a gangster boss now. It's totally awesome!"

Mini Bubble Gum's eyes glinted in excitement as she looked at Rhode, who sat on the bedside. It seemed like his outfit didn't change too much because after all, equipment and all was secondary after he became one of the Creator Dragon Souls. Therefore, he only wore black noble attire and a coat, used for formal occasions. Like others, he also had a four-pointed star badge on his chest. However, his was silver in color, which signified that he was the leader.

Now that Mini Bubble Gum mentioned, it did seem like they were members of a gang.

Rhode gazed at his luxurious black attire and acted as though he didn't hear what she said.

Knock knock knock.

At this moment, the door opened and Gillian entered the room, waving at everyone.

"Master, we're about to reach our destination now. Everyone get ready."

"Let's go."

Rhode closed the book in his hand. Canary and Alice stood up and followed him out of the room and onto the deck.

At this moment, the magic warship slowly descended. They witnessed the flickering magical radiance on the balcony above the tall mountain and this meant that their magic warship would be anchored there. But this wasn't the problem...

"The Country of Law sure is thoughtful."

Rhode said and his group looked ahead.

On the left side was the warship from the Country of Darkness, where pitch-black clouds flashed with lightning bolts in the azure sky. On the right side was the massive, dazzling white magic warship from the Country of Light, piercing through the clouds and also slowly descending. It could be seen from this arrangement that the Country of Law treated the three honored guests equally and in order to avoid unnecessary conflicts, they had specially arranged for them to arrive at the palace simultaneously.

Shortly after, under the guidance of elves riding on pegasi, the magic warships were steadily anchored to the platform by the sides of the mountain.

A steel ramp extended gradually and Rhode spotted a young lady clad in a white robe, presenting a kind, graceful smile. She had silky-long green hair and an attractive face. What gathered everyone's attention was the long staff in her smooth hand, where on the tip was an exquisite scale.

"Greetings, Your Majesty Void Dragon."

The young lady said.

"I'm Nalea, the Judgment Dragon. I represent the Country of Law in welcoming you to the Order Ceremony."

Chapter 956: The Gathered Dragon Souls

Rhode's group arrived inside the palace under Nalea's lead. Almost at the same time, the two other groups also arrived and the atmosphere instantly took a turn.

The Dark Dragon Ion lifted his chin proudly, staring at Rhode with his ice-cold, stern gaze. His tall height and pitch-black coat appeared incredibly intimidating. On the other hand, Rhode narrowed his eyes and shot a look at him before letting out a scoff. Even though the Dark Dragon Ion had a strong presence, Rhode had no reason to be afraid of him. Back then when he was a player, he had slaughtered him together with his guild. He was in the 'BOSS mode' now, so all the more he wouldn't be intimidated.

On the other side, Lilian's exhilarated expression from seeing Rhode instantly plummeted into a gloomy sulk when she saw the Dark Dragon Ion. She puffed up her cheeks and scowled at him fiercely. Even though she didn't have any deep emotional ties with the Country of Light, she didn't feel comfortable when the Country of Darkness's army invaded her dragon soul protection. She felt like a tortured prisoner meeting the punisher. Unless one was a masochist like Sonia, no one would feel comfortable with agony. The Dark Dragon Ion had no interest in entertaining Lilian's resentful stares as he shifted his gaze toward the center of the hall.

As the dragon soul heirs clashed silently with their gaze, their subjects were also in on the action.

The 'Spirit Chaser' Balende sized up Rhode with scarlet glints flashing from behind his pitch-black helmet. But shortly after, Canary stepped forward and blocked his menacing gaze, returning the favor with her sweet, gentle smile. Standing beside Balende was the 'Blood Countess' Ashvril, who lifted a handheld fan. She narrowed her maroon eyes that were glinting in mysterious flashes and what responded to her was Mini Bubble Gum's highly-raised middle finger. Mini Bubble Gum displayed a malevolent and teasing smile to the 'wh*re who dressed like a prostitute'. Seconds later, she withdrew her middle finger into a fist and slid it across her neck with her thumb pointing down, intimidating Ashvril. At the same time, a sacred aura flickered from her and devoured the vampire's spiritual charm like a wild storm, forcing Ashvril to an abrupt halt. This was the first time Ashvril revealed such a surprised expression. But in the blink of an eye, she restored her smile and shifted her gaze forward.

The 'Angel of Sorrow' Charlie followed closely behind her. He didn't seem much different from ordinary angels. He had charming masculine facial features, a muscular build, and bright golden hair. The only distinct difference was the pair of pitch-black wings on his back and the dark, solid armor. This symbolized that he was a fallen angel who had betrayed his pride and honor.

Archangel Boulder became agitated the instant he saw Charlie. He looked fixedly at his pitch-black wings and flames of wrath were as though about to blast out of his widely opened eyes. Not only that, but the folded pair of holy wings on his back also instinctively shivered. He held his hand on his sword hilt as though he would be ready to strike if there was any disagreement. Charlie remains unmoved to Boulder's anger, silently feeling the wrath of his then-companion. The pitch-black eyes of this fallen angel showed no signs of remorse.

But not everyone's clashes were full of the smell of gunpowder.

Lydia gazed at Rhode before exchanging glances with Marlene who followed closely behind him as though she wasn't aware of her companion's rage. She greeted them with a wink and smile and Marlene nodded slightly in response. Even though they were once in a superior-subordinate relationship, it could be said that Marlene was now on the same level as her after she had awakened as a Deity Warden, so etiquettes from the past were no longer necessary.

But not everyone was involved with the silent exchange gazes and greetings.

As the only human among the four legendary generals, the 'Conqueror' Garcia strolled at the back of the group and lowered his head as though pondering over his thoughts. This old man's body was wrapped in a black cloak, only revealing his chin, and he didn't seem concerned about the hostile stares being exchanged.

Walking behind Rhode was the indifferent Alice who hugged a thick, heavy book. As the Deity Warden who once followed the Void Dragon, these dragon soul heirs were ultimately replacement vessels to her. Although their powers were worth paying attention to, there was no need for her to be concerned about their high statuses. Moreover, in her eyes, the dragon soul heirs were merely a bunch of greedy fools who destroyed all of the Void Dragon's hard work and were greedily fighting for power now. She who grasped all the 'history' couldn't care less about these trifles. The most important thing now wasn't the present that would become the past, but the future that would become the present.

Archangel Serene also didn't seem concerned about the silent clashes. She walked alongside Lilian while watching her every move. In terms of self-control, she could be said to be the weakest among everyone here. Moreover, the war between the Country of Light and Country of Darkness had happened not too long ago, so only God knew what she would do about it later on.

This isn't looking great.

Even though Siena put up her usual, stern expression, her mind was whining incessantly. If it weren't for the fact that the Order Ceremony was an essential step to recognize a dragon soul heir, she also didn't wish to host it during this sensitive period. Moreover, the three dragon soul heirs had clashed in the past. It had only been less than a year when the Country of Light and Country of Darkness broke out in a war, and there was still a great chance that history might repeat itself. Currently, the three strongest forces were gathered in one place and if they really broke out in a fight, it seemed like relying on her and her elder sister to suppress them wouldn't be possible!

Although no words were exchanged, Siena sensed the pressurizing atmosphere was as wild as a storm. It felt as though three enormous boulders crashed into one another, attempting to overthrow and repress the resistance. If this temporary and rather balanced atmosphere was smashed, the merciless invasion of a storm would surely happen.

The duration it took them to walk from the entrance to their seat felt like an eternity for Siena. She wasn't surprised by the Dark Dragon Ion's imposing presence because he was one of the most impressive dragon soul heirs in the history of the Country of Darkness. It went without saying that a man who controlled everything in a nation of darkness and death possessed formidable strength and presence.

But what astonished Siena was that the new dragon soul heir was actually unfazed by the Dark Dragon Ion's imposing presence. He didn't put up a facade to conceal his true emotions. Instead, Siena sensed that he had indeed disregarded the Dark Dragon Ion completely. It wasn't insanity, but was more of a steady and unprecedented confidence.

Where did he get such confidence from? No matter from which aspect, he can't possibly defeat the Dark Dragon, right?

Siena had no idea of the truth, but judging from that man's behavior, he seemed extremely calm. Not only that, but she also realized that he appeared to be familiar with this place and he didn't seem overly cautious. He subconsciously slowed down his pace when descending the flights of stairs as though that was a habit accumulated over the years. But why would Siena and Nalea not notice him if he had indeed existed around them?

Not only Rhode, but Lilian also shocked Siena. Even though they had only met once, she felt that Lilian's timid personality and the lack of opinions made her unsuitable to become a dragon soul heir. But now, this timid little girl actually glared at the Dark Dragon Ion. Siena remembered that in the previous ceremony, Lilian was so nervous and anxious upon seeing Ion's gaze as though she were a tiny, pitiful rabbit about to be eaten by the lion. And yet, she unleashed her rage bravely and had no fear of his reactions.

Has she... grown?

Siena thought. At this moment, the atmosphere was extremely tense among the three parties. The Dark Dragon Ion's imposing presence was so omnipresent as though it was permeating the entire world under his feet.

Rhode's strong battle intent was as though a sharp blade pointing to the sky, silently warning everyone who tried to threaten or lay hands on him.

Lilian's anger brought heat to the already warm and dry air. Perhaps it was Ion's disregard that made her even more stubborn. A child's temper was the most terrifying thing, especially when others neglected her. At this moment, the air was as though combustible and a single spark could immediately cause an outburst of clashes in the continent.

Suddenly, Siena was speechless. She carefully organized the words in her head, fearing that a wrong statement could light up the tinder of war. But at the same time, Nalea stood beside her and didn't seem to mind the tense atmosphere. She smiled and took a step forward, waving her hand at the three parties.

"Welcome to the sacred palace... Everyone must be hungry from your long journey. How about we start off with some food?"

Nalea's sweet-sounding voice instantly broke the stalemate in the air while Siena extended her hand and rubbed her forehead helplessly.

Chapter 957: A Critical Ceremony

The tension in the atmosphere instantly faded away like a flattened, punctured balloon.

The Dark Dragon Ion scoffed at Nalea's words. On the other hand, Rhode shrugged as though nothing happened while Lilian stared at Ion in resentment, but eventually calmed herself down after looking at Rhode. No matter what the exact reasons were, at least they had eliminated their battle intentions for now, so Siena heaved a sigh of relief. She had to admit that even though her elder sister seemed unreliable, there were often times when her unreliable behaviors resolved difficult problems.

Siena took in a deep breath, cleared her mind, and took a step forward.

"Your Majesty Lilian, Your Majesty Rhode, and Your Majesty Ion, please follow us to the ceremony room. As for the rest of you, please wait here, and if it is possible, I hope you can maintain control..." Siena gazed at Lilian and Ion and after ensuring that there were no objections, she made an inviting gesture to Rhode.

"Alright, Your Majesty Rhode, please come with me."

"Okay."

Rhode nodded without hesitation. He turned around, patted Mini Bubble Gum's head, and exchanged meaningful glances with Canary and Marlene. Then, he turned around and followed Siena into the dark passage that led into the deep palace. Lilian scuttled toward Rhode and walked beside him closely. On the other hand, Ion gazed at them coldly, scoffed, and strode into the dark passage.

"Hmph. Pretentious *sshole."

Mini Bubble Gum gazed at Ion and curled her lips. Then, she turned to Canary curiously.

"By the way, Big Sister, do you know where Leader is heading to? Don't tell me he's going for some bullsh*t religious ritual and baptism. We didn't come here for some monkey play! Of course, it will be another discussion if we can choose who to fight."

Mini Bubble Gum looked at the four legendary generals excitedly with undisguised battle intention glinting in her eyes. But this time, the four legendary generals didn't respond to her brazen taunting—not even Ashvril, who was the most provocative.

Even though the three camps minded their own businesses, this didn't mean that they had no interaction at all.

"Hmm... What a surprise. I didn't expect his subjects to be so powerful."

Erin leaned on the wall and squinted at Marlene's group, curiously swirling the wine glass.

"Only fertile soil nurtures beautiful gardens because roots can support the growth of towering trees. I'm not too surprised by that, Erin."

Lydia stood leisurely by the stone column beside Erin, gazing interestingly at Canary and the others.

"Frankly speaking, I also feel slightly envious. If I knew this would happen, I wouldn't have agreed to his request. But it seems like... my choice was right."

Lydia revealed a proud smile, while Erin let out a long sigh.

"Yeah, I'm jealous of you. You're still the first ever in history to have a Creator Dragon Soul as your guardian knight. But it's a pity that he wasn't born in the Country of Darkness. If not, I would have liked him to become my personal knight. It is rare to find someone who is worthy of appreciation in the Country of Darkness. But... It is not like I don't have a chance at all."

"What do you mean?"

Lydia twitched her brow curiously. Erin chuckled and placed a finger on her lips.

"It's simple. Why do you think I'm here for this ceremony?"

"Indeed. If I recall correctly, your family doesn't like you to interfere in internal affairs, right?"

Lydia puckered her brows. She had this doubt in the past and as the ruler of the Munn Kingdom, she knew quite a lot about the Country of Darkness. In fact, even though Erin was a princess of the royal family, she was forbidden by the Dark Dragon from intervening with military affairs. Normally, she wouldn't be allowed to attend such a diplomatic occasion. But now, she came to the Country of Law with the four legendary generals, which was indeed strange. After hearing Erin's answer, Lydia seemed to realize something.

"Could it be that..."

"That's right, it's just as you thought. I'm just Big Brother's bargaining chip. Perhaps I'll be marrying off to the Void Territory in the near future. Huhuhu. How is it? Are you feeling anxious already?"

Erin chuckled playfully and didn't seem like she was unwilling to. On the contrary, she seemed like a rich young lady who was about to go sightseeing. Lydia pouted and shrugged helplessly.

"I certainly didn't expect this... It seems like I've miscalculated. It's a pity because if I knew this would happen, I would have taken action earlier. But... Even though wild flowers can't be compared to precious flowers nurtured in greenhouses, they still have a special and distinctive scent, don't they? Perhaps I should say that tenacious vitality and determination are the most wonderful values in this world."

Lydia closed her eyes.

"If that day were to come, I will give you my blessings, Erin. Hmm... But I don't think you will receive his recognition so easily. After all, you're aware that you have a lot of competition, right?"

"Yes, you're right."

Erin nodded slightly. She focused her gaze on Marlene, Canary, and the others with puckered brows.

"I do have a lot of competition. Besides... Aren't you one of them?"

"Oh? Why do you say so?" Lydia said.

"It's simple. If I were to marry into the Void Territory, don't you think that the Light Dragon will choose you as a bargaining chip for the other side of the scale in order to maintain balance?" Erin turned around with a smile and gazed at Lydia. "Besides, don't you have any interest in him at all?"

"..."

This time Lydia didn't respond immediately. Instead, she lifted her head and gazed at the burning candlelight at the end of the deep, dark passage. She narrowed her eyes and the corners of her mouth lifted wittily.

"Who knows?"

***

The dark passage was oddly silent. Rhode pondered over the ceremony that was about to take place. Judging from the current situation and their reactions from before, this upcoming ceremony should be a completely internal one. Of course, he didn't think that it would be a baptism ceremony like Mini Bubble Gum because Siena and Nalea were only dragon soul heirs. Moreover, the other four dragon soul heirs were on the same level as him, so they didn't have the rights to administer baptism to him.

The fact that this ceremony existed up until now and was even recognized by the Dark Dragon proved that it might relate to some secrets which players weren't aware of. This was because despite players being able to kill the dragon soul heirs and open up territories, it was impossible for them to become a dragon soul heir. Therefore, players naturally couldn't get involved with the storyline or missions related to dragon soul heirs. Moreover, for a ceremony that only dragon soul heirs and their direct subjects could participate in, players had no place there, even if their reputation was at the highest level. Therefore, even if there were such a ceremony in the game, players wouldn't possibly know. Besides, judging from this, the ceremony would only be triggered when a dragon soul heir inherited the dragon soul powers, which meant that players basically couldn't be involved.

And now, Rhode actually 'activated' this storyline and this ceremony might possibly contain some secrets of the Dragon Soul Continent. If not, it wouldn't require Siena and Nalea to be responsible for it.

Rhode lifted his head at this thought and gazed at the young lady and the longsword slung behind her.

He was very familiar with this back view. This was not the first time that he followed the twin dragons and eliminated Chaos for the sake of restoring Order.

And now, he finally showed up before them once again.

Chapter 958: Twin Dragons

Even though this was the first time Siena and Nalea met Rhode, he couldn't be more familiar with them. It could also be said that any players who experienced the second phase of the game knew who the twin dragons were.

In the game, they were the only BOSS-level figures who players were afraid to mess with and not even Rhode ever considered attacking the Country of Law. Even though the Country of Law was relatively sealed-off, had a neutral diplomatic stance, and never provoked players and foreign organizations, this didn't mean that players wouldn't consider attacking them. For instance, Erin was also like a mascot of the Country of Darkness where she wasn't involved with anything apart from acting cute for players and assigning missions to them. In the end, she was instantly slaughtered by players after Rhode killed the Dark Dragon and she lost the protection of the moon. This went to show that being harmless definitely wasn't the reason why players wouldn't kill someone.

However, the reason why players didn't attack the Country of Law was really simple.

The Judgment & Ruling Twin Dragons were insanely powerful.

Everyone knew that the Country of Law's churches were responsible for supervising the signing of contracts. It was due to this that various countries and organizations didn't need to worry that their signed contracts would become obsolete. The only exception was when the Country of Light and Country of Darkness signed their second truce agreement. Back then, the Country of Light was terribly paranoid, where after they were tortured by the undead army, they treated all non-human races with hostility. As a result, they signed the truce agreement publicly with the Country of Darkness without the supervision from the Country of Law and thereafter... the Country of Darkness tore the agreement because to them, humans were just lowly slaves who were in no position to speak about trust with them.

On the other hand, there were also many fearless organizations formed by players. Everyone knew that players loved to exploit advantages and it went without saying that many of them took advantage of a contract's loophole. It was especially so after the players' era arrived and many guilds started to grow. That was when they compelled others to agree and sign their clauses. Occasionally, some guilds didn't honor their words after their clauses were signed because this was merely a game to them and only fools would be serious enough to talk about trust. It was due to this that some guilds took things further and eventually got caught in a conflict with the Country of Law.

The conflict happened in the initial stages of gaining new territories. Apart from Starlight, there were four other large, powerful guilds. Among the four, two were interested in the same resourceful territory and signed an agreement to jointly develop it. Of course, it was signed under the supervision of the Country of Law.

But in the final juncture of developing the territory, when the tinder was about to be awakened, one of the two guilds suddenly rose in revolt and eradicated the other guild completely, claiming the controlling rights of the new territory.

It went without saying that the guild that was backstabbed reported this matter to the Country of Law immediately. After thorough investigations, the Country of Law dispatched the churches' guards and pursued the guild that violated the agreement. It went without saying that players weren't favorable of being under the supervision of NPCs. As a result, the guild that violated the agreement ridiculed the other guild for being 'a group of trash who clings to NPCs for support' and sent out their men to destroy the churches' guards. In fact, it was common for players to go against the rules, but most of the time, they couldn't defeat the churches' guards. Therefore, they would either hide in the wilderness of the mountains or wait to be captured since the punishment dealt to them was either having their possessions confiscated or issuing fines.

However, as this guild took things too far, Siena and Nalea showed up and dealt with them personally.

And that was the first time when players witnessed the Judgment & Ruling Twin Dragons' true powers, which were strong enough to shake the entire continent.

The battle against the twin dragons was different from the battle against the Dark Dragon. In fact, no violence was allowed in the battle. In other words, no matter the level, mysterious skills, and powerful equipment, they were all meaningless against the twin dragons because there was no battle to begin with. Instead, the twin dragons were there to settle things through talking!

At the start of the 'battle', all hostile players against the twin dragons were sent to a place called the Judgment Court, where Nalea was the 'public prosecutor' who narrated all crimes of the 'defendants'. On the other hand, players held the dual roles of 'defendants' and 'lawyers' and they could either plead guilty or innocent against Nalea's allegations. Then, players had to provide evidence to support the authenticity of their statements. Their rebuttal would still fail if they lacked sufficient evidence. As proof of failure, the 'Order Scale' with more authority than the judge would tilt to one side slightly for each failed rebuttal. Slowly, the scale would reach the bottom and that was when Siena showed up and executed the punishment.

What gave players the biggest headache was that they knew that Nalea was a muddle-headed person who often deviated from the topic at hand in the judgment seat and even sometimes read the wrong testimonies. Even though that gave players a chance to retaliate, they didn't believe that she was truly that foolish. There was only one simple reason. No matter which wrong testimony she read, she definitely wouldn't 'overlook' any of them. It was due to this that many players thought that perhaps she was only acting like a fool in order to lure them into making mistakes.

There was indeed such a scene from one trial that caught every player's attention. Back then, Nalea accused one of the guild's elite players of using spells to kill a victim. As a result, the accused burst into laughter, saying, "Can't you see that I'm in the thief-class? I clearly stabbed that bugger in the back with my dagger!" Then... there were no more thens, because he basically dug a hole for himself.

What was more terrifying was that it was impossible for players to remain silent. This was because if they didn't refute within the given time, even the accusation of them killing with a wooden plank would be determined as valid by Nalea. Therefore, in order to ensure that one wasn't wrongfully trialled, one must refute with evidence to prove one's innocence. But from a certain perspective, this was as though self-incrimination.

It was obvious that all players were bewildered by the twin dragons' peculiar 'battle' style. Players had specially prepared their best equipment and secret weapons, only to realize that they were useless in the Judgment Court. Moreover, they weren't mentally prepared for trial and as a result, they were all defeated. After they were convicted, Siena would appear with her unsheathed longsword.

Then, she would brandish the blade.

Just once.

Every player of that guild was instantly killed by 9999999999 damage, despite their godlike equipment or immunity from harm. Not only that, but all their equipment and weapons were also destroyed on the spot. Furthermore, after those players revived fumingly, they discovered that their level and attributes had been reset to level 1!

This news stunned all players. This was the first time that they witnessed such an unreasonable BOSS. Thereafter, the official forums saw waves of uproar from players' complaints, but it wasn't. As a result, their guild disbanded and many players quit the game. Well, they couldn't be blamed since they had put in such hard work, only to have their best equipment and weapon destroyed and level reset. No one could take such a blow to the heart.

There were even some players who committed suicide after losing their powerful character and this raised discussions in society. But.. That happened much later.

Thereafter, no players were foolish enough to taunt the twin dragons anymore as their insane and unreasonable 'battle' style wasn't tolerable for most people. Some players who were lawyers by trade conducted research on the video of the entire trial process and the conclusion they got was that unless the players had the IQ of conspirators of premeditated crimes, there would basically be no hope of making a comeback. Moreover, even if a player cleared his name, it would be deemed invalid if other players from his guild pleaded guilty. Judging from this point, it would be an unresolvable situation unless a player could settle all conspiracies and guarantee all evidence was obliterated. But such a genius wouldn't be playing this game in the first place.

Even though Rhode didn't know if the twin dragons had such powerful strength in this world, he wasn't that naive to give it a shot. In the game, the twin dragons' powers came from Order itself and coupled with their church's unique contract supervision system, it was apparent that their responsibility was to maintain the Order of the continent. In this case, not only were there no conflicts between him and the twin dragons, but they also had common interests. Therefore, he couldn't possibly become enemies with them.

As long as he didn't take things too far...

"We're here."

Siena's crisp, stern voice pulled Rhode back to reality. He came to a halt and looked up at the tall, enormous door of steel. Judging from its appearance, it seemed to have lasted for a very long time. It was carved with sacred and complicated floral patterns and also an eye-catching young lady.

Her eyes were closed shut while her long hair was scattered. She spread her arms apart as though welcoming or offering a hug. But what was more important was that her exquisite and beautiful face seemed somewhat familiar.

Because he had seen this face not too long ago when retrieving Alice's body from history.