Facing the Three Gods

"Boom!"

In that vast, distant place, a deafening sound resounded.

Finally, the Abyssal Wall, thousands of meters high, was mercilessly destroyed by the dazzling silver light. The Power of a God broke through the barriers of chaos and the planes, descending upon the Anzeta Great Wasteland.

"He wields a silver hammer to reveal the truth and Punishment sinners."

Praise be to Him! He is the courageous Father, the stern Justice, the radiant light of truth and justice.

The resounding sound of gongs and drums rose, and jubilant hymns echoed between heaven and earth. The one-armed man revealed his form, with supreme white light emanating from his forehead.

In his only remaining arm, he gripped tightly a steel-gray warhammer. That was the "Hammer of Justice," signifying absolute truth and capable of discerning all lies in the world.

The man raised his warhammer high, and a dazzling light poured down from the sky, completely dispelling the power of the Abyss and bathing all living beings in order, glory, and honesty.

The God of Justice, the Grim Jaw, the Injured One, the Fair One — Tyr has finally descended upon the world! Tyr is the Greater God of the Mount Paradise and the Ysgard, and many in the Celestial Legion are his followers. Seeing this sacred sight, they all prayed devoutly to his incarnation in the sky.

Praise be to the God of Justice!

"Lord."

"Praise be to the Injured One, the Fair One, the Crippled God, the Blind Lord."

Meanwhile, Keosius also looked up at the avatar in the distance, feeling the pressure from the essence of life, his pale golden vertical pupils gleaming.

"Tyr, the God of Justice"

"Keosius muttered to himself."

He knew of this deity in his previous life. Tyr was Greater God being who represented the most severe justice. He opposed all deception, rebellion against the rules, and those who committed unjust destruction or crimes.

Although he had seen the phantoms of Tiamat and Bahamut before, this was the first time he had faced the real, genuine incarnation of the true body.

Keosius knew that the real test was yet to come.

The Tyr avatar in the distance seemed to sense Keosius's gaze as well. He turned his head and stared at the Red Dragon in the distance with his empty black eye sockets, the white light on his forehead becoming even more dazzling.

—That is the light of absolute truth.

In an instant, Tyr saw through the cause and effect of the Demon Invasion with his gouged-out eyes and let out a fierce shout.

"Red Dragon! It was you who released Jierlazarax, causing this catastrophe that has ravaged the land!"

Now, though the Revenge Devil is dead, that body still does not belong to you. It was an evil entity that threatened the world, and you should return it to the gods!

His voice was like a thunderclap in clear weather, steady and powerful, giving mortals a tremendous shock.

The steel-gray warhammer hovered in the sky, its invisible pressure spreading outwards, as if the magnificent scenery of Mount Paradise appeared behind it, and even the Red Dragon's broad wings trembled slightly.

This is the Greater God of Mount Paradise and the Ysgard, the strength of Tyr, the God of Justice.

The mere avatar created with a wisp of divine power and will exerted immense pressure on Keosius, who was within the Empire Domain —a suppression of the very essence of life.

Tyr's avatar's voice echoed between heaven and earth, surging like a tidal wave.

"Red Dragon, return the Kareks' Body to me, and we may forgive your sins and spare your life for now."

"Hehe."

Keosius looked at the Tyr avatar in the sky, chuckled softly, and did not answer immediately.

He continued to occupy the top of Dragon Blood Mountain, dozens of miles away from the God Avatar in the sky, facing off against it.

If he were in a different dimension and faced such Greater God, he would definitely run away with his tail between his legs without the slightest hesitation.

But this is the Third Era, when the gods are not allowed to descend into the Material Plane in their true forms.

Even Tyr, with his Greater God, might not be able to defeat Keosius in this Empire Domain —despite the vast difference in their status.

This gave Keosius the confidence to confront the gods.

The atmosphere at the edge of the Anstica Mountains suddenly became strange, even tense, with both sides exchanging insults and expressing their indignation at each other's behavior.

The Empire's retinue glared angrily at the legion from Mount Paradise, even denouncing the divine incarnations in the sky.

"This old cripple dares to humiliate His Your Majesty Keosius like this!"

"As expected, these bastards from Mount Paradise cannot be trusted. They were the ones who caused trouble behind the attack on the the North!"

"For the sake of the empire, drive these birdmen back to the heavens!"

The Celestial Legion was equally resolute. Faced with the blasphemous words of these dragon-blooded creatures, their gazes were cold, and their silver swords gleamed.

Tyr's followers are black and white, and they despise evil. They cannot tolerate even the slightest imperfection and are often referred to as "tyrants" by others.

"Those who dishonor my lord will surely suffer the most severe judgment!"

"How dare they insult the great God of Justice!"

"These monsters, with their filthy dragon blood, dare to stand alongside our glorious Celestial Legion? They deserve only to die by our swords!"

The tension in the air grew increasingly palpable, and both sides even drew their swords, resulting in a localized skirmish. Fueled by their shared faith, they were mutually hostile, and a full-blown battle seemed imminent.

But at that moment, a mournful cry echoed across the land, and a man covered in open wounds, burns, and other signs of torture slowly appeared.

Upon seeing the battered and bruised God Avatar of the deity, everyone present felt a strange wind surge, a bright white light flashed, and all the pain vanished in that instant.

That is Ilmater, the Crying God, the Lord of Perseverance, a deity full of mercy and compassion, who often willingly bears the suffering of mortals.

"Gentlemen, the calamity that caused so much suffering has just ended, and the enemy from the Abyss has been defeated."

This should be a time for prayer and blessings for the innocent victims who lost their lives in this disaster. Why are you turning against each other with swords?

Ilmater's gentle voice, tinged with tears, lingered in everyone's ears, like a spring breeze or a bath in Holy Water, bringing a sense of peace to all.

The Celestial Legion unanimously laid down their weapons, respectfully gazed at the distant avatar of Ilmater, and sang in unison their praise.

"Praise the Crying God."

"We sing your praises, great Martyr, for your kindness and compassion make us feel ashamed."

With difficulty, Ilmater turned her head and slowly raised her broken, bruised arm, her eyes shining with a gentle light.

"Your Majesty Tyr, why be so aggressive? This Red Dragon has utterly slain a Abyss Lord, and he deserves the affirmation of the gods, and my praise."

Tyr's anger subsided slightly, and he placed the Hammer of Justice at his side, seemingly Ilmater's suggestion.

Keosius gazed at the limping, seemingly frail avatar of Ilmater on the ground, a solemn look appearing deep within his pale golden pupils.

This Crying God is not as kind and gentle as he appears on the surface; his ability to subtly change people's minds is something he should take seriously.

"One plays the good cop and the other the bad cop? It seems their goal is quite clear: the Progenitor Dragon corpse beneath my feet."

It seems it's time for the Platinum Dragon God to make his appearance.

Keosius sat atop Dragon Blood Mountain, listening quietly to Ilmater's words, which sounded like soft sobs, and thought to himself.

"Roar--"

Sure enough, accompanied by a long roar, a cold north wind blew in, and shimmering light appeared on the horizon.

A long, winding Golden Dragon gradually revealed itself, its eyes gleaming with a deep blue light like the midsummer sky.

"It is His Bahamut Your Majesty!"

"Ah, Lord of the North Wind!"

"Praise be to you! Great Platinum Father, Dragon Lord!"

The Golden Dragon, Silver Dragon, Brass Dragon on the edge of Anstika immediately stretched their necks and roared, letting out joyful chirps in unison, their wings shimmering with metallic luster.

Under the Dragon God's oppressive power, the Blue Dragon of the Faria Family, the White Dragon with Ancestor Bloodline, and the Dragonkin with the blood of the Five-Colored Dragon all lowered their heads.

However, their gazes contained not only awe but also a hint of hostility.

"It's that hypocrite again! That deceitful, fickle old dragon!"

"If it weren't for him, His Keosius Your Highness would have long since returned to the Dragon Queen's embrace, united with me, and given birth to a powerful offspring!"

Christina gritted her teeth and cursed inwardly.

However, she would never dare to say it out loud. Even the Chromatic Evil Dragons would show respect to the Dragon God on the surface.

The group of people, dragons, and angels, each with their own thoughts, looked up and saw the Platinum Dragon, over fifty meters long, flying nimbly through the churning clouds and soon arriving at a high altitude only a few kilometers away from Keosius.

A deep blue light shone in the eyes of Bahamut's avatar as He gazed at the Red Dragon coiled atop the mountain before slowly speaking.

"Keosius, it's good to see you've maintained your rationality, haven't been blinded by that power, and even killed a Abyss Lord."

Your appearance has surprised and delighted me; it has been a long time since the Material Plane has seen such a powerful dragon with such a glorious record.

The Red Dragon first spread its wings slightly, then nodded and said politely, "Good day, Your Bahamut Your Majesty. Compared to you, I have only done some insignificant things."

He shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the distant incarnations of the God of Justice and the Crying God: "Greetings to you as well, Your Majesty Ilmater and Your Majesty Tyr."

"Thank you for descending into your avatars and helping me at this critical moment when the Empire was being invaded by the Abyss, greatly relieving me of the pressure in killing Jierlazarax."

On the face of Ilmater's avatar, which was always weeping for all living beings, a gentle smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. Tyr's avatar, however, remained suspended high in the sky, gripping the Hammer of Justice tightly, his face solemn and indifferent, merely letting out a cold snort.

Bahamut nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the towering mountains beneath the Red Dragon, the howling north wind emanating from his mouth. "Keosius, you should know why we have come."

This has nothing to do with profit; it's simply advice from an elder to a younger person: the greed for power is endless, and you often have to pay a heavy price for it—your reason, your character, your memories, even your soul. I believe you understand this very well.

The Platinum Dragon flapped its wings, its broad, bright silver wings gleaming in the sunlight. It raised its forepaw, and the image of a ferocious Red Dragon appeared in its palm.

"And Kareks's power is the most uncontrollable even among my brothers and sisters. If you're not careful, you'll be—"

Bahamut's avatar clenched its giant claws, and the image abruptly ended, leaving only the swirling flames.

"Turn to ashes".

He turned his head again, gazing meaningfully at the Red Dragon, and spread out his claws. "Admit it, Keosius, you do not have the strength to safeguard the Kareks' Body."

Whether for yourself, for the things of this world, or for the entire world of Erezege—

Your best choice is to restrain the greed within your bloodline and entrust this Dragon Corpse to the gods for safekeeping. The gods, who uphold justice and order, will become your strong support.

The admonitions to the younger generation and the suggestions to the clansmen were so grand and dignified, as if they were truly considering his best interests.

Keosius sneered inwardly, but he didn't hear the righteous reasons in those words. He only heard Bahamut's lust for his brother's mutilated body.

—For a dragon deity yearning to recreate its former glory, this is perfectly normal.

It should be noted that after numerous disasters targeting the dragon race, the dragon gods of the Third Era were far less powerful than they were tens of thousands of years ago.

Once Bahamut obtains and absorbs this Progenitor Dragon body, hidden by the ancient gods in a corner of the Astral Plane, he will gain a huge advantage in his battle against Tiamat.

But once the duck is in its mouth, the Red Dragon will never let it slip away.

Keosius replied calmly, "Thank you for your reminder, Your Bahamut Your Majesty, but I disagree with what you said afterward."

The escape of Jierlazarax, the possession of Kareks' Body, and the invasion of the Abyss Demon Invasion only show that the gods did not have a suitable way to manage this Dragon Corpse, but I did.

Keosius raised his head and grinned. "Your Majesties, don't forget, I just completely annihilated an Abyss Lord outside the Abyss."

Even gods from tens of thousands of years ago could only be sealed away, but I truly killed him—"

"Presumptuous!"

Tyr's avatar roared, abruptly interrupting Keosius's words; his booming voice echoed through the mountains like muffled thunder.

"I saw through your true nature long ago, you filthy Five-Colored Dragon, arrogant, conceited, greedy, and foolish. Sincere advice has no effect on you; only power can truly subdue you!"

The one-armed man raised his warhammer, and instantly, phantom images of scales representing absolute order and warhammer representing absolute justice appeared in the sky, releasing endless white light that surged toward the Red Dragon coiled atop the mountain.

That is the authority of justice and order.

"Is this the justice of the gods—being tyrannical, unreasonable, and plundering by force?"

However, there's something wrong with what you said. Even strength can't subdue me, and besides—on this land, it's hard to say who's stronger!

Keosius sneered, then slowly stood up, supporting himself on his hind legs. The Red Dragon stood atop Dragon Blood Mountain, slowly spreading its broad wings.

Instantly, the Emperor's Scepter appeared in the Red Dragon, and the power of the Empire Domain surged around the enormous dragon's body, spreading out a boundless pressure.

"Whoosh—"

An invisible barrier appeared in front of him, resisting the constant onslaught of the white light.

Suddenly, a hundred-meter-long steel-gray warhammer phantom appeared high in the sky. As Tyr's avatar swung down his one arm, the massive warhammer slowly crashed down like a mountain.

"When--"

The thunderous sound of metal clashing rang out, and a powerful Shockwave instantly spread hundreds of miles away, raising a ring of dust.

Above, the ethereal scepter and warhammer intersected and collided, then suddenly bounced apart.

Keosius also raised his left arm, using his giant claw to manipulate the Imperial Scepter to defend against Tyr's attack, and roared, "God of Justice, is this what you call overwhelming power?"

Faced with Tyr's attack, Keosius could only barely hold off the attack using the Empire Domain.

This is the terrifying power of Greater God: the God of Justice, with only an ordinary incarnation, was able to contend with Keosius, who was within the Empire Domain and whose status was comparable to that of a god.

In fact, this was not a life-or-death battle, but merely a test. Keosius saw through Tyr's intentions—He wanted to intimidate him with the power of True God, to make him submit and hand over the Dragon Corpse.

On the edge of Anstika, against the backdrop of the Contend Against between dragons and God Avatar, the Empire's followers are about to wage war against Tyr's followers.

Suddenly, Ilmater's tearful voice echoed, "Enough. This land has suffered too much already; it doesn't need another pointless war."

Tyr finally stopped, reluctantly putting away his warhammer, and said in a deep voice, "Red Dragon, your greed will eventually devour you."

By then, you will sincerely regret your actions today and pay the price for them.

The Red Dragon gazed at the magnificent, shimmering bodies and said with a smile, "So it turns out that you Your Majesties have been staying in the Prime Material Plane for a while, and it's rejecting you."

Just a heads up, if I die outside the Prime Material Plane, all restrictions within the Empire will be lifted.

By then, I have no idea what will become of Kareks's body; it might even be dragged into the Abyss by some contingency plan left behind by Jierlazarax.