Reactions and Advancement

After the Battle of North Aisel, the massive forces of the Embers of the Burned Empire marched south and quickly took control of the entire North Aisel Plains.

The original North Aisel troops all surrendered, most of them were released, a small number of high-ranking officers were arrested, and those who were unruly were quickly killed and their bodies left to rot in the wilderness.

There was once a divine Earl who feigned surrender but secretly gathered thousands of personal guards and contacted Duke Walter's confidants in an attempt to put up a final resistance.

However, their luck ran out when they encountered Misha, the Dragonfire Daughter, who burned the Divine Race to ashes with her raging dragonfire, turning more than a thousand of her men into fertilizer on the North Aisel Plains.

Subsequently, in order to stabilize the situation, Duke Mezhuolash led the Imperial Guard to occupy various cities in North Aisel, skillfully taking over important locations such as the City Lord's Mansion, the city defense hall, and the armory—a task they were already very adept at.

During this period, the old forces in North Aisel launched a counterattack, underground gangs began to make underhanded moves, and the private armies of various nobles also began to fight back.

But under the dense barrage of bullets, these sporadic counterattacks were like weak flames, quickly extinguished. Families that tried to resist were also brutally massacred. The thick smell of blood and the pungent smell of gunpowder permeated the city. Wailing often accompanied the sound of gunfire, which made people feel terrified and tremble at home, afraid to go out.

But soon, people discovered that this army, composed of monsters, Dragonborn, and demon descendants, only purged the old forces within the city, while turning a blind eye to civilians and not harming them in the slightest. They were remarkably disciplined.

The sheriffs and City Guard were not as brutal as people imagined. After several days of cleanup, the city's security improved.

After repeated crackdowns by the Imperial Guard, the forces resisting the Embers of the Burned Empire went underground, hiding in the corners of the city.

A few days later, the imperial authorities publicly posted a notice—those who report on the resistance forces will be granted official citizenship, a large sum of Gold Coin, and security guarantees.

After several citizens successfully attempted the whistleblowing and received generous rewards, the practice of anonymous whistleblowing began to spread throughout the cities of North Aisel, and one by one, hidden organizations were uprooted.

Gradually, people became accustomed to the armed soldiers patrolling the streets, the steel behemoths that made the ground tremble, the Wyvern in the sky, and the words of the Embers of the Burned Emperor being sung on the radio and the Starfallers roaming the streets and alleys. For the officials and soldiers of the empire, the management of the conquered cities had become a systematic operation plan. All policies and actions were familiar and could be copied completely with only slight modifications according to the local conditions.

In just over ten days, the empire's rule gradually got back on track, the social situation stabilized, and it began to resemble the Embers of the Burned Empire.

However, reforming social order is a long and arduous task that needs to be accomplished step by step. Controlling the situation is only the first step, and there is still a lot of follow-up work that will keep the imperial administration extremely busy.

The original Collins City was renamed Dragon Head City, and the Saint Theo City, named after a saint of the Amanata Church, was renamed Gold Tooth City in memory of the Kobold who died in the Abyss War.

The imperial army even began to establish new defensive lines at the border, confronting the border guards of the Thrace Kingdom.

The news of the Embers of the Burned Empire's conquest of North Aisel shocked the world. No one had expected that the North Aisel Duchy would be completely occupied by the Embers of the Burned Empire in just over a month.

This territory, covering nearly 700,000 square kilometers, has become a bridgehead for the Embers of the Burned Empire, allowing them to pose a threat to the surrounding areas at any time. It should be noted that the empire's "blitzkrieg" is world-renowned, leaving countless self-proclaimed military experts speechless.

The major powers of Fei An Suo were shocked. Whether it was the High Mountain Kingdom in the northeast, the Free Trade Confederation in the west, the Thrace Kingdom in the south, or even Serenia, which was thousands of miles away, they all felt a sense of unease.

After the footage of the Red Dragon fighting against three powerful figures, including Barachiel, circulated, people were even more terrified of the Red Dragon Emperor's immense power.

Good forces such as the Silver Moon Alliance, the Harpers, and the Arcane Hermit Order began to travel around, contacting various parties. Even the churches of the true gods, such as Amanata and Tyr, became nervous, as if the "Dragon Disaster" of ten thousand years ago was about to be repeated.

Since then, the Burning Ember Empire is no longer the "outsider" and "backdrop" that was isolated overseas, but has truly stepped onto the stage of the Fianso Continent, becoming an important factor affecting the continent's pattern, and also becoming a part of the chaotic disputes in the Fiansuo Continent.

After the Embers of the Burned Empire takes the stage, who knows how many more conflicts and battles will occur on the vast continent of Fei An Suo, how many families will be torn apart, and how many people will die in the war.

However, it is foreseeable that with the addition of the Embers of the Burned Empire, the situation on the Feanso Continent will become even more unpredictable and turbulent.

As the object of desire for countless humans, Dwarf, Elf, dragons—and even gods— Keosius lay lazily on his side in a cave in North Aisel, gazing at his character panel with amusement.

[You have slain a Lord of Paradise, earning the legendary achievement "The Saint Slayer"] [The Saint Slayer]

On the day of creation, while the multiverse was still trembling in the aftershocks of its nascent existence, seven blessed martyrs who sacrificed themselves for order and goodness appeared in the heavens in powerful and unique forms.

These seven martyrs, or their successors, formed the Council of the Seven Luminaries, who were commissioned by Heaven itself to serve the Seven Heavens as its immortal rulers, and whoever kills them will suffer an eternal curse.

"Kill a celestial lord? Forgive me for speaking frankly, the mere thought of such a thing is a sin. Only the most wicked devils and the most brutal demons would fantasize about it."

—The Holy Book of Heaven, as described by Estelan, a researcher of the Outer Plane.

Gain the passive trait: [Holy Slaying]

Constitution +1, Charisma +1. With contempt for order and goodness, you personally killed a Celestial Lord, devoured a portion of the Heavenly Source, and attracted the attention of the World Will.

You gain the additional traits [Contempt for the Holy Body] and [Song of Saint Slayer].

[Contempt for the Holy Body]: From now on, you will be resistant to all divine power from Mount Paradise and will be difficult to change by the will of Heaven.

[Song of Saint Slayer]: After consuming a certain amount of spiritual power, the lament of the fall of the Lord of the Heavens will be played around you. Creatures of the Lawful Good alignment will be affected, and your attacks will cause them greater damage.

The black and gold trophy emitted a faint light, gradually merging into the Red Dragon's massive body, bringing with it a power that distorted reality.

Keosius narrowed his eyes, relaxed his body, and let the invisible force transform his body.

He was already very familiar with improving his attributes, and he didn't resist it at all; in fact, he enjoyed it immensely.

[Constitution: 35→36][Charm: 37→38] As a surge of heat coursed through his body, the Red Dragon's muscles became even firmer, and puffs of white smoke billowed from the pores on his neck and tail, his constitution once again experiencing a leap forward.

The increase in charisma greatly enhanced Keosius's mental strength, allowing his will to penetrate deeper into the Weave until it reached the top of the nine layers of the Weave.

From then on, even casting complex Ninth Circle Spell was merely a matter of a thought for Keosius.

Of course, Keosius's gains went far beyond that. For the past ten days or so, he had been quietly recuperating. The experience he gained from killing Walter and Barachiel, plus the experience he received from the Imperial faction players, was enough for him to level up again.

Looking at the information on the panel, the Red Dragon's face once again showed an expectant smile. He had been looking forward to this promotion for a long time. After all, his life level had reached a level that was unimaginable to mortals, and the experience required for each level up was astronomical.

[Killed [Lord of Messengers - Balachiel (Challenge Rating: 31)], gained 185,000 XP][Your total Class Level increased to: 26][Your current class is: True Dragon Sorcerer 18/ Bloodscale Berserker 3/ Elemental Master 4/ Skincarver Dragon 1] In game terms, Keosius should now be considered a "professional" among dragons, having collected almost all the dragon advancements available, but none of his classes have reached the maximum level.

Therefore, Keosius still wanted to focus on his main profession first, so that his spellcasting ability could reach a level that was sufficient to Contend Against enemies of the same level.

[You choose to upgrade [True Dragon Sorcerer] to level 19][Due to the innate spellcasting of dragons and the talent and authority of Elemental Lord, your current Caster Level is: 30] A familiar feeling surrounded Keosius's body, and his will roamed freely in the Weave, like the embodiment of the world, his every move could affect everything.

However, this is not the end.

[When you reach level 19 in this class, you gain 2 Legendary Attribute Points (enough to increase an attribute by 20 or more), which you can use to add one attribute of your choice.] In the Erezege promotion system, level 19 is the last chance to add attribute points; after that, you'll get the [Final Trait], making this choice all the more precious.

Keosius licked his lips, revealing a sinister smile, and eagerly looked at the panel, clearly having already made his choice.

[You choose to increase: Charisma][Charisma: 38→40] The energy of the universe, the Holy Word of creation, and the laws of the world surged within the Red Dragon's body, causing him to let out a soft roar. This feeling of gaining power was simply wonderful.

"Roar--"

In an instant, Keosius felt the whole world resonating with him. His spirit was able to reach the end of the Weave, see the original magical essence, and make use of it.

The true name of [Keosius Klauberwu Norikesius] was even engraved in the Source Sea, causing the Weave to tremble and all the Legendary Caster in the world to feel it, hearing a loud dragon roar.

At this moment, Keosius finally broke through the nine layers of shackles and stepped into a realm that ordinary spellcasters could hardly reach in their entire lives.

—And Keosius reached this level in just a short moment. If those mages who have spent hundreds of years studying magic knew about this, they would be absolutely insanely jealous.

[Your Charisma attribute has been increased to 40, and you have gained the trait [Transcendent Caster]] Now, Keosius's ability to influence the outside world has reached its peak, and he has been qualified to cast Legendary Spell of the ninth rank or higher.

"Boom!"

With a thought, the Red Dragon unleashed a torrent of dragon flames within the cave, hollowing out the interior of the mountain. He did not use any magic; with only his will, he was able to create destruction comparable to spells of the seventh rank or higher.

Even the roar of the Red Dragon contains the essence of magic, capable of shattering rocks and cracking mountains. It can be said that his every move can trigger terrible natural disasters and bring annihilation to mortal kingdoms.

Even excluding the powerful bloodline and body of the Progenitor Dragon, Keosius is now strong enough to be a top power in the Material Plane, worthy of being treated as an honored guest by the rulers of various countries, who would vie to curry favor with him.

As he stared at the constantly updating information panel, Keosius's gaze burned even brighter, like a volcano about to erupt.

He already possesses such spellcasting abilities. If he were to draw a legendary Dragon Spell from the Age of Thunder, what kind of tremendous boost would he receive?

[You trace your ancient Progenitor Dragon Bloodline and gain access to the Dragon Spell [Burning Blood], [Phantom Thief], and [Greater Dragon Allies]] [Burning Blood]

5th Ring School of Transmutation Spell [It is said that the most powerful Red Dragon cause catastrophe even in death, for their blood is comparable to magma! When you are attacked, your dragon blood deals continuous energy damage to nearby creatures and permanently alters the terrain.] [Phantom Thief]

7th Ring Conjuration Spells [Dragons often covet the treasures of their fellow dragons, and their treacherous interactions have led to the development of many unique spells.]

You will create an invisible force; phantom-like dragon claws will automatically steal the treasures of others. [Mass Draconic Allies]

9th Ring Conjuration Spells [Battles between dragons often involve conflicts between groups and territorial disputes, with the side having more dragons usually emerging victorious.]

You spend a large amount of money to summon five dragons of the same faction, all under the age of 18, as allies, and temporarily make them obey your commands.

As he stared at the three Dragon Spell that appeared on the panel, Keosius's face darkened, and he even gritted his teeth, exhaling Sulfur Scent white smoke from his nostrils.

To him now, these spells were no longer just useless, they were utterly worthless junk! Burning Blood?

In the current Material Plane, there are very few things that can make him bleed.

Moreover, if Keosius wanted to destroy mortal objects now, he wouldn't need to use such a clumsy method at all; a simple thought would suffice, and the raging Fire Elemental would naturally burn everything for him.

Phantom Thief?

As an emperor who possesses millions of square kilometers of territory and rules an entire empire, why would he need to steal personally? The daily profits of the Klaubo Wu Military Industrial Group far exceed what he could gain from theft.

As for the final Mass Draconic Allies, Keosius couldn't think of any use for summoning a few strong Five-Colored Dragon —he couldn't very well use their lives to threaten Tiamat, could he?

You should know that the Five-Colored Dragon Queen wouldn't care about the life or death of a few strong, mature dragons, not even her most beloved Red Dragon.

"Goddess of Fate, one day I will drag you back to my cave and torture you severely—if you really exist."

Keosius muttered through gritted teeth, then stretched out his massive, mountain-like dragon body and shifted to a more comfortable lying position.