Empire

For a moment, the entire Anzeta Great Wasteland fell silent. People on the ground, monsters, and gods in the sky all turned their gazes toward the crowned dragon.

Keosius's expression did not change.

He felt the crown on his head, felt the gazes coming from all directions, and issued his own imperial declaration:

"I, Keosius Claudeu Norikesius, hereby declare—"

"The Embers of the Burned Empire has been established."

The tone wasn't impassioned, but it was full of power, making everyone present feel its weight.

"Good, very good."

"You are more cunning than I thought. I originally thought you would be an obedient child."

Tiamat stared intently at the Red Dragon on the altar with her vertical pupils, her eyes filled with endless anger and greed as she slowly spread her wings that Sky-Shading.

Instantly, Keosius felt an immense, unparalleled power descend upon him. A dark shadow enveloped the earth, and the almost tangible pressure weighed on his shoulders like a heavy mountain.

But he is no longer the same as before.

With all his might, Keosius raised his head amidst the terrifying pressure, his pale golden vertical pupils staring directly into Tiamat's greedy eyes.

"You flatter me."

"Your Her Majesty Tiamat."

Keosius gritted his teeth, making the sound almost from deep in his throat.

At this moment, the Red Dragon, which had reverted to its ancestral form, looked extremely ferocious and terrifying.

His muscles bulged, veins stood out, bony spines stood upright on his back, white smoke billowed from the pores on his neck, and magma-like ripples surged on the surface of his scales.

The oppressive aura vanished in an instant.

Keosius also breathed a sigh of relief.

He could be said to be fearless in his dealings with Tiamat.

If Tiamat were to openly attack the newly rising Red Dragon in this situation, it would only cause the Five-Colored Dragon on the continent to feel a sense of shared fate and lead to the decline of their faith—the ever-shrewd Dragon Queen would not do something so counterproductive.

Tiamat hoped to use Keosius's coronation ceremony to further expand her power and spread the fame of the Dragon Queen without sacrificing any real benefits.

However, it is clear that his attempt to get something for nothing failed.

As the oppressive aura dissipated, Tiamat's phantom in the sky withdrew all her power and said indifferently, "Keosius, you should know what happens to those rebels who oppose me."

"I hope you won't go down that path."

As soon as the words were spoken, the figures of the five giant dragons vanished into the void.

Keosius merely nodded slightly in the direction where the Dragon Queen had disappeared, and said politely, "I will heed your teachings and take them to heart."

He looked to the other side of the sky and saw the Platinum Dragon with a slightly mocking smile on its face, "What a good show."

The enmity and hatred between these two dragon gods had lasted for millennia and had become incredibly deep. They were willing to use any means to stop each other, which even led to the tragic "Dragonfall War".

Bahamut turned to look at Keosius, his expression turning serious.

"It really is the aura of the Abyss."

"You have the potential to become the Dragon King, don't go astray."

After leaving behind these words that only Keosius could hear, the azure light flickered again, and the phantom of the Platinum Dragon gradually dissipated—the sky, which had been turbulent and filled with strange phenomena, became clear and open once more.

The hundreds of thousands of people present remained silent, simply gazing up at the new emperor on the altar.

No one dared to interfere in the conflicts among the gods.

"Dragon God?"

Keosius looked up at the azure sky, watching the Platinum Dragon depart. His expression was utterly calm, and the golden crown on his head shone brightly.

He had no affection for these dragon gods, whether they were benevolent or malevolent, and he would not follow them.

If one must have a belief, it can only be in oneself.

Just then, the panel reappeared in front of him after a long absence, with several pieces of information refreshing one after another, and a Crimson Gold trophy appeared again.

[You have built your own empire and earned the legendary achievement [Emperor]] [Emperor]

"Within the territory of the empire, the sun never sets."

—Holy Emperor of Holy Fadlan, Aragon I

Your trait [Kingdom Domain] has been upgraded to the advanced trait: [Empire Domain]

Charisma +5, Rule Proficiency +18 [Imperial Authority Supreme]: You enjoy supreme, godlike power within the empire. Your will can transform any region into Dead Magic Zone, unleash magical frenzy, and permanently alter the climate and Shape Terrain.

[Emperor's Uniqueness]: You possess a unique status within the empire. You will be immune to all control over your body, mind, and even soul.

[Imperial Grace]: You can bestow your power upon your subjects at an extremely small cost. Subjects who accept this grace will become attached to you on a physical, mental, and even spiritual level, and will strengthen your soul.

"Roar--"

Keosius raised his head and roared with exhilaration, feeling an invisible force acting upon him.

It was already evening, and the sun was slowly setting.

The afterglow of the setting sun cast a faint golden glow on the surface of the Red Dragon's scales, and made its crown shimmer with a magical light.

The crowd in the hall looked up at the top of the altar, and for some reason, they instinctively felt that the Red Dragon had become even more noble and magnificent. Some even knelt on the ground, trembling all over.

If the previous Red Dragon gave people the feeling of looking down on mortals and being superior to all living beings, the current Red Dragon only gives them one feeling—comparable to a god.

This is the function of the [Empire Domain].

"This power..."

"Even if Tiamat descends in her avatar, I will not be afraid."

As Keosius experienced that absolute control, a smile involuntarily appeared on his face, a smile of satisfaction with the power.

"I originally planned to give them some 'surprise' with the Bloodline Gift, but now, it's a good time to try out this new ability."

He looked down at the silent crowd in the hall and thought to himself.

This was also part of Keosius's original plan.

The Red Dragon spread its broad wings and flapped them, and with the howling wind, it slowly rose to a height of a hundred meters.

As time passed, the sun was about to set completely, the curtain of night slowly fell, and the sky darkened, leaving only an orange-red horizon where the sky met the ground.

Suddenly, gasps of surprise erupted in the hall.

"Look, what's that?"

"How can there be light at this time?"

"How is that possible?"

"That... that is? The gods!"

Hundreds of thousands of people in the venue looked up and saw that half of the sky was illuminated by light, turning the originally dark sky orange-red.

Daylight broke.

A second sun appeared in the sky.

—That's Keosius.