Shi Long

The massive manta ray, a Saint King-level sea beast, swiftly swept into the mist to pull the man in green to safety. As the man gathered his bearings, he took in his surroundings, and what he saw caused his heart to ache. The scene was filled with the corpses of countless sea beasts and their crushed, helpless army. Even the remaining nine Saint King-level sea beasts had not survived. He looked around in fear until his eyes met the gaze of a man standing behind him.

That man stared back with crimson eyes, his face twisted into a chilling smile.

"You... you are..." The man in green struggled to speak, but the fear rooted deep within him choked his words. His injuries and weakened state caused his consciousness to fade, and darkness soon overtook him as he fell unconscious.

After a while, the manta ray continued to carry the unconscious man swiftly through the sky and then down into the ocean depths. They moved through the dark waters, heading straight for a grand palace beneath the sea, glittering with shimmering gems and vibrant coral.

Upon arrival at the palace entrance, the guards—a pair of massive crabs and prawns—blocked their way. Just then, the man in green began to regain consciousness slightly. Struggling to his feet, he spoke in a faint, weary voice, "I must see His Majesty. Step aside."

The crab and prawn guards exchanged a look before nodding and making way. The man in green staggered through the palace's magnificent hallways, heading toward the throne room, with the loyal manta ray swimming close behind.

Finally, he reached the throne room of the Emperor. Within the grand and luxurious hall, ranks of sea monsters of varying sizes stood in their designated positions. The man in green slowly approached the throne, with the manta ray by his side. When he reached the foot of the throne, he immediately knelt and spoke in a trembling voice.

"Your Majesty... I have urgent news to report."

The atmosphere around the man in green was filled with somber silence and power. Every eye in the hall, from courtiers to ministers, was fixed on him with curiosity and concern. The man in green bowed as deeply as he could before speaking in a trembling voice.

"Your Majesty, our forces were utterly defeated... We could not withstand the human army of the Heavenly Flame Dynasty. They numbered only 40,000, yet each soldier held the power of a Saint, and their general was incredibly skilled—able to face ten Saint Kings simultaneously. I also witnessed what seemed to be a Saint Emperor among them, Your Majesty!"

Suddenly, the grand throne room of the Dragon Dynasty fell silent as all eyes turned toward the current Dragon Emperor, Shi Long. Sitting confidently upon the throne, a faint smile played on his face, while the gazes of generals and ministers held varying degrees of unease and curiosity. They couldn't understand why Shi Long had chosen to send forces to attack the Heavenly Flame Dynasty when the Dragon Dynasty's own courtiers were already eyeing them with a hunger for power, especially the White Golden Shark clan and the Black Whale General, who seemed ready to rebel at any moment. This war promised no gain, only loss.

Shi Long, however, paid no heed to the scrutinizing gazes of the sea creatures before him. He smiled slightly as a notification sounded in his mind.

[The host has sacrificed 10 million Spirit Sea-level sea beasts and 10 Saint King-level sea beasts. The system will compensate tenfold. Congratulations, Host, you have received 100 million Spirit Sea-level sea beasts and 100 Saint King-level sea beasts.]

Shi Long smiled subtly, glancing at the assembled ministers below. His life here had been anything but simple. Never had he imagined he would one day sit upon the throne of the Dragon Dynasty. He had perished in another world only to be brought here a few years ago, becoming the second prince of the Dragon Dynasty. Before long, he had unexpectedly inherited the throne after his father abdicated and his various siblings either declined the throne or had met untimely ends, pushing Shi Long onto the throne as the only viable option.

Even though Shi Long had ascended to the throne, he found that the Dragon Dynasty was in a state of decline and on the verge of collapse. The various sea clans grew bolder with each passing day. The White Golden Shark clan and General Black Whale had long since identified the Dragon Dynasty's weaknesses, constantly plotting to seize power from Shi Long.

Initially, Shi Long felt hopeless. The pressure from the ministers and the escalating internal strife grew increasingly intense. But during his darkest hour, a "system" appeared in his life. This system promised that if he lost something, it would compensate him in full—but only once per day. For instance, after recently losing a portion of the sea beast army, the system provided him with a new force, stronger than before.

With a sly smile, Shi Long spoke in a cool tone, "Follow me. I want to show you something that might help you all make a better decision." He was so pleased that he almost forgot some minor details.

The ministers and generals exchanged puzzled glances, including the man in green who had been injured in the skirmish with the Heavenly Flame Dynasty. Although curious, everyone followed Shi Long promptly as he led them from the palace to a hidden cave fortified with powerful defenses.

As they entered the cave, the sight that greeted them left the ministers and generals wide-eyed in shock. Within lay a vast army of sea beasts stretching as far as the eye could see. Although most were at the Spirit Sea level, their strength was formidable. Moreover, a hundred Saint King-level sea beasts were scattered throughout the ranks.

"Is this the army His Majesty has hidden away?" murmured General Shell, his voice filled with astonishment.

Minister Jellyfish narrowed his eyes, speaking with excitement, "Could it be that His Majesty sent the forces to fight the humans, pretending we suffered great losses, to bait the rebels? This way, His Majesty could eliminate them all in one decisive stroke?"

As these words were spoken, a gleam of understanding filled the eyes of the ministers, as well as Shi Long himself. Some generals and officials knelt to Shi Long with renewed loyalty, pledging their allegiance sincerely.

Just as the man in green was about to kneel, he suddenly coughed up blood, but it wasn't ordinary blood—it was a vibrant, rainbow-colored hue. Everyone turned to him in shock as, within seconds, the giant manta ray that had survived the clash with the Heavenly Flame Dynasty swung its tail, striking through the man's head. The potent, vivid rainbow blood spilled across the cave, releasing a pungent, toxic scent that filled the air as the stingray dragged the lifeless body toward the front of the sea beast army.

Boom! The man's body exploded into rainbow-colored particles that dispersed throughout the ocean. The nearby sea beasts, unknowingly absorbing the rainbow-colored blood, soon began to convulse violently. The rainbow poison permeated their bodies, spreading faster than anyone could anticipate.