Until that day.
The Temple Knights who entered the core region were defeated.
It wasn't a minor defeat.
It was a crushing rout.
Hundreds of elite soldiers were grievously wounded in a single strike, their armor shattered and their Holy Light extinguished.
Those who returned alive could barely speak in complete sentences.
But what truly plunged Angel God's Divine Kingdom into dead silence wasn't the casualty count.
It was the message they brought back.
The End Dragon had awakened.
That monster who had destroyed the Ninth Era, devoured worlds, and forced even the Angel God and the Sea God to join hands only to look up at her had returned.
And she had declared war on humanity.
No surrender would be accepted.
No negotiations would be accepted.
No peace would be accepted.
It was a fight to the death.
On the night the news spread, Angel City did not cheer for the first time.
Even though the Angel God's Holy Light still shone overhead, even though the streets remained bright.
When countless people looked up, all they felt was cold.
The sun had vanished.
The End Dragon had awakened.
It was as though the final chapter of this era had finally been slowly turned by an invisible hand.
Did humanity... still have hope?
Meanwhile, in Star Dou Forest.
Gu Yuena's words, "a fight to the death," still seemed to echo in every Soul Beast's ears.
No one spoke.
Not because they were afraid.
But because they were too stunned.
Di Tian was the first to react.
He suddenly dropped to one knee.
"My lord."
His voice actually trembled slightly.
"Did you just say... total war?"
Gu Yuena looked at him.
"Is there a problem?"
Di Tian raised his head, the emotions in those golden dragon eyes nearly impossible to