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"Dragons are indeed creatures that can grow stronger even while sleeping. After this slumber, their power has increased considerably."

Keosius observed his own stronger, more ferocious body.

However, compared to the qualitative change that occurred last time due to absorbing the Progenitor Dragon Bloodline, which was like a completely different dragon, the changes in appearance after this period of slumber were not as obvious.

Only Red Dragon himself truly knows how powerful the energy he gained after absorbing the Progenitor Dragon Bloodline and growing naturally was—it was an all-encompassing enhancement.

Opening my own panel, I found that there had indeed been significant changes.

[As True Dragon with Ancestor Bloodline, you grew in slumber, seeking the mythical power of bloodlines from the primordial era, becoming ever stronger.][Strength: 34→36][Constitution: 30→33][Intelligence: 17→18][Perception: 20→22][Charisma: 35→36][All dragons develop innate magical abilities as they mature, and the oldest dragons can trace their origins back to the spells created by the Nine-Faced Dragon God.][You gain an additional 3 levels of Sorcerer Rank.][Your current Spellcasting Rank is: 24] Even the Great Wyrm Red Dragon's innate Spellcasting Rank was only 19.

With Keosius's current arcane abilities, perhaps only a "freak among dragons" like Oszedro can rival him.

"Call"

The Red Dragon took a deep breath, feeling the surge of magical currents around it, and controlling every single, minute elemental particle.

Keosius had a feeling that he no longer needed to rely entirely on the magical inheritance in his bloodline, but could create spells using his own arcane abilities.

Compared to mages who meticulously construct spell models, Sorcerer create spells often like skilled painters, using their innate talent to "paint" in the Weave, presenting what they want.

At Keosius's current level, casting Ninth Circle Spell is commonplace, and if he obtains those forbidden spells, he can even control things beyond the nine layers of the Weave.

After experiencing the changes in his body, Keosius discovered that the system's assessment of his strength had also changed.

[Embers of the Burned Emperor - Keosius]

Challenge Rating: 28 (125000 xp)

Even the most powerful Ancient Gold Dragon among common dragons only has Challenge Rating of 26, and now Keosius has the ability to defeat an Ancient Gold Dragon relatively easily.

"Such strength would rank among the top even on the entire Feanso Continent."

Keosius stretched his neck and used his incredibly strong latissimus dorsi muscles to pull his Dragon Wing backward, almost lying on the ground, stretching out his body surging with vigorous Life Force.

"Snoring!"

Red Dragon snorted, and hot white smoke billowed from his nostrils—the waste heat expelled from his body.

He looked towards the mountainside of Dragon Mountain, where the once magnificent palace had been reduced to ruins by his "morning grumpiness," with charred and broken walls everywhere.

However, this was not the first time; Keosius already had experience in dealing with such situations.

"The original palace was rather cramped, so we can take this opportunity to expand it."

"It's been a long time since I used the power of the Empire Domain."

Keosius made up an excuse for himself, then focused intently and unleashed his full power.

[Empire Domain: Change Terrain]

"Boom--"

The earth trembled again.

Dust filled the air, and debris flew everywhere.

This time, however, it was not a pure disaster. The ground gradually rose, and rock pillars slowly rose from the ground, gradually taking on the shape of a palace.

The rocks and steel, as if sculpted by an invisible hand, gradually formed walls, columns, domes, and even exquisite murals.

This is almost a complete replica of the original palace, but the new palace is more spacious, larger in scale, and truly "Become One with the mountains".

"Is that... is that the royal palace?"

"Keosius above"

The soldiers guarding the gate stared in disbelief as the palace rose into the sky.

Although they had long heard of the Red Dragon's creation of mountains and rivers and its bringing warmth to Anzeta, seeing the rocks rise and form palaces with their own eyes was still beyond their imagination.

To them, this was nothing short of a miracle.

However, Keosius didn't care about any of that, and he was happy to see himself gather more faith, as that was the key to becoming a god.

Suddenly, a magical message came from the pile of ruins, and Keosius released the restriction without thinking.

With a crashing sound, the broken mirror slowly rose, and pieces of it fell down.

A familiar voice came from the magic mirror, trembling and revealing undisguised excitement.

"Owner."

"You, you're awake!"

The face of the Ogre appeared on the cracked mirror; even the broken mirror could not hide his ugliness.

Keosius nodded slightly and said in a calm tone, "Come to the palace. I need to know what has happened in the past year."

"Yes, Master."

Lang Pu nodded in agreement and then severed the connection to the Magic Image.

A few seconds later, the space in front of the Red Dragon fluctuated, and Lang Pu hurriedly walked out of the portal and knelt at the Red Dragon's feet.

"Owner."

For some reason, Keosius felt that the Ogre wasn't as energetic as before.

His plump body exuded an air of exhaustion, which even the magnificent robes could not conceal, and dark circles appeared under his cloudy little eyes.

If Ogre have hair, then this particular Dragon Vein Ogre Mage must be bald.

Did he exploit her too much?

However, to be fair, the Ogre he raised himself was a very useful familiar.

Lang Pu smiled obsequiously and said, "Master, you've become even stronger."

The Ogre cautiously raised its head, exclaiming fervently, "There has never been such a dragon in this world! Your body is as majestic as the earth, your wings as broad as the sky, and your tail as winding as a mountain range!"

"Lang Pu, you should know that I'm not here to listen to these Bard ' clichés."

Keosius interrupted him.

"Of course, Master."

You remain so humble and devoted to the country.

The Ogre scratched his head and chuckled, then took out a magic stone from the dimensional pocket inside his robe.

"Whoosh—"

Suddenly, Magic Image appeared in mid-air, each containing detailed text, as well as a wealth of images and tables.

If this Ogre went to Earth for a job interview, it would most likely be rated as "proficient in using office software".

Lang Pu put on his gold-rimmed glasses, and the expression on his ugly face became serious and earnest.

"Master, after the Starfallers left, the Empire's economic development slowed down, and technological development almost stagnated."

"I see."

Keosius nodded slightly. This was something he had expected, since cheap and useful labor like players was extremely rare.

"However, the scale of the war in the South continues to expand, and our arms orders are insufficient to meet demand. As you predicted, the military industry is still booming, with monthly net profits reaching one million Ginar."

"However, the growth of the Military Industry Group has also given rise to a series of social problems, such as domestic violence. As a result, subordinates took it upon themselves to introduce some special measures."

"Regarding agricultural and livestock development, the construction of the Matra Great Farmlands is basically complete, capable of supplying 70% of the nation's grain. Meanwhile, the aurochs and dragon animal ranches on Storm Highlands are cultivating superior breeds according to your instructions."

"In terms of culture, the Imperial Propaganda Department, following your instructions, has conducted further ideological education based on the manuscripts left behind by the Starfallers."

"In addition."

Page 36

"On page 87, my subordinates compiled the percentage of each industry and its growth trend."

"On page 121, my subordinates report on conflicts between various races."

Lang Pu's presentation was over two hundred pages long, covering all aspects of the empire's politics, economy, culture, and military in recent years.

After all, what he needs to consider now is not that kingdom that only rules over a part of the northern region, nor that monster's lair that only controls the Storm Highlands.

The current Embers of the Burned Empire is a vast, complex, and multi-faceted empire.

It has a population of over eight million and a total area of nearly four million square kilometers, spanning the Anzeta Great Wasteland, the Kattepa Area, the Underdark, and the Fire Elemental Plane.

According to official statistics, there are thirty-four intelligent species races within the Embers of the Burned Empire, including humans, Yuan-ti, Tiefling, Ogre, Half-orc Hobgoblin, Fire Dwarf, Gray Dwarf, Half-goat Human, Kobold, and Lizardmen. If certain "non-citizens" are included, the number would be even higher.

This vast and expansive territory, the numerous ethnic groups, and the impact of new technologies made the empire's social structure more complex and varied than that of any other nation that had ever existed in the world.

As the Imperial Prime Minister, it is no exaggeration to say that Lang Pu is "extremely busy with state affairs".

However, Lang Pu's tedious report soon made the just-woke-up Keosius yawn and feel a little sleepy.

Flames burst from his mouth, and scalding ash billowed from between his teeth.

It's better to be a hands-off manager; you only need to throw out a general idea and leave the rest to your capable subordinates.

Keosius watched Lang Pu speak eloquently and incessantly, he suddenly asked with some curiosity, "Lang Pu, how do you manage to do so many things at the same time?"

Lang Pu froze on the spot, seemingly recalling some unpleasant experience, and a forced smile appeared on his face.

"Your Majesty, I was just doing what I was supposed to do!"

"I bought the scroll of Multiple Simulacrum from Thrace, which allows me to create multiple illusionary copies so that I can handle things at the same time."

"I see."

Keosius didn't care.

But Lang Pu didn't tell him that those things had a direct spiritual connection with the original body, meaning that this Ogre Mage was constantly operating multiple threads.

Moreover, six months ago, under heavy work pressure, one of Lang Pu's simulacrums actually "awakened." It tried to escape and plotted to kill Lang Pu, almost bringing disaster to the Imperial Parliament Hall.

Keosius praised, "You've always done a very good job in handling government affairs."

The Red Dragon slowly stood up, staring at Lang Pu with its golden pupils, and said in a deep voice, "But... has the demon appeared?"

The prophesied time for the Demon Invasion is fast approaching; the Empire must treat this matter with utmost care.

Lang Pu nodded solemnly, flipping to the last page of the magical effect. "Master, your words are correct. Over the past year, demons have launched several small-scale attacks on the Empire, causing hundreds of casualties."

"The last attack occurred just three days ago, on your Coronation Day. A Glabrezu disguised itself as a human and infiltrated Istaria, attempting to bewitch the Imperial People and incite rebellion."

Fortunately, Miss Misha intervened in time and killed the demon.

A chill ran through the Red Dragon's golden vertical pupils, and sharp fangs appeared at the corners of its mouth. "Have the demons of Istaria become so rampant that they dare to launch an attack on my capital?"

Lang Pu said in a deep voice, "That's not all. Six months ago, when I was giving a speech on the Istaria City, a Hezrou Abyss Arrow."

The Ogre pointed to his right ear, which indeed had a hideous gaping hole, leaving only half of the once-fat ear.

He gritted his teeth and said, "Master, I have kept this wound so that I would remember this humiliation and make those Abyssal Devil pay the price."

However, Master, only you can decide the fate of the empire, so I have been waiting for your awakening.

Keosius looked south and seemed to see the Abyss Teleportation Gate deep within the Anstica Mountains, seemingly piercing through the barriers of mountains.

"I will crush them."

"Keosius said calmly."

The demons of the past also came from the south, provoking fierce resistance from all the people of the the North and the players. The Anzeta people paid a bloody price before finally achieving a devastating victory.

But the Revenge Devil never showed itself. When the "Embers the Burning Flame" Keosius was about to die in his previous life, a huge black claw bound him and disappeared from the Prime Material Plane with the Red Dragon.

Keosius suspected that the Red Dragon from his previous life had been possessed by the Devil Lord, and that in this life, the demon's offensive would be even more fierce than in his previous life.

However, Anzeta has undergone tremendous changes. Compared to the Northern United Kingdom, the military strength of the Embers of the Burned Empire is overwhelming.

As if remembering something, Lang Pu suddenly said, "By the way, Master, the Ms. Olivia you mentioned has found Mellward's reinforcements."

When the demons descend, the Silver Dragon should send reinforcements to support the Empire; according to the treaty we signed, their envoys should be arriving soon.

"Oh? An envoy?"

Although Keosius had long anticipated that Mellward would agree to cooperate, he was still somewhat curious.

Who will the old Silver Dragon, whose wings he personally broke, send as its messenger?

Istaria, Goncalo Palace.

This is where the Embers of the Burned Empire entertains foreign envoys. The decorations are unusually luxurious, but they still exude a strong "imperial atmosphere."

Inside the hall, Olivia was dressed in a senator's suit, her beautiful silver-grey eyes revealing anxiety.

She lowered her voice and advised, "Aunt, your prejudice is too deep."

"You must have seen and heard a lot along your journey, and you can certainly see that the lives of the Anzeta people have improved significantly."

She hesitated for a moment before continuing, "His Your Majesty Keosius may not be considered kind, but he is certainly not an irredeemable tyrant."

Beside Olivia was a voluptuous noblewoman in a white dress, who looked to be in her thirties and also had a cascade of silver hair.

Wisdom, intellect, and beauty.

This was her first impression on everyone; if she were at a noble banquet, she would definitely receive countless invitations from gentlemen.

This is Jennycis, the adult Silver Dragon of the Mellward Family, known as the "Pearl of Kolda".

However, at this moment, Jennycis's bright face was full of indignation. "Olivia, are you crazy?"

That Red Dragon destroyed a kingdom, slaughtered tens of thousands of humans, and severely wounded your grandfather, and yet you're still speaking up for him! You're a member of Mellward!

Olivia, however, lowered her eyes and said somewhat palely, "No, that's not it. I did it for Anzeta."

Jennycis sighed, her tone softening slightly. "Alright, little Olivia, I'll consider what you said."