The White Eagle Who Brought Light

"Hehe."

Royal City Roer, the King's bedroom.

A deep roar echoed through the palace, occasionally punctuated by heavy footsteps.

The vast palace was completely empty of servants, not because anyone had deserted their posts, but because it was ordered by King Anzi III.

A dark figure moved through the palace, its limbs unnaturally stretched out, and stray hairs covering its body peeked out from under its pajamas. Its face, vaguely resembling that of a wild beast, bared sharp teeth, and thick saliva dripped down.

If anyone were still here today, they would probably be killed by this humanoid beast. Fortunately, the smart ones ran away long ago.

But there are always some slow-witted people who don't realize their mistake until danger strikes.

"Call"

A maid hid in a dark wardrobe, covering her mouth tightly, her tearful eyes peeking out from the crack in the wardrobe door.

The howls, both human and beastly, echoed outside. It was clear that the sound was getting closer, but the terrifying figure could never be seen, which was the most torturous thing.

The maid didn't dare to breathe loudly. Just then, footsteps suddenly approached, startling her so much that she quickly closed the cabinet door.

"Clang!" The wooden door made a slight knocking sound, which was particularly noticeable in the silent palace, and her breath caught in her throat for a moment.

The sounds outside disappeared.

Difficult, could it be?

Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. The intense panic was driving her crazy. After the screams had subsided for several minutes, she mustered her courage and pushed open a crack in the door.

There was nothing outside.

The classic next move would have been to push the door open and go out, which was what she thought too, but her legs were too weak to move, so she could only close the cabinet door again and continue hiding.

The instant she closed the cabinet door—

"Ahh, get out here!"

A chaotic roar suddenly erupted above the wardrobe, causing the thick, heavy doors to shake violently, and the maid screamed in fright.

Its hairy claws swung wildly downwards, thick saliva cascading down like a waterfall. Hisses and screams mingled, and if nothing unexpected happened, the screams would soon stop, leaving only the sound of flesh being torn apart.

In her despair, the maid saw the beast in its entirety; its blood-red eyes, glowing red, were deeply etched into her heart, and its claws reached for her chest!

"Your His Majesty the King, you look to be in very good spirits today."

A gentle voice came, and the beast paused, its face showing a human-like look of confusion.

The maid and the beast looked toward the source of the sound, only to be met with a smile.

He was a tall and handsome young man with long, brilliant silver hair that still shone brightly in the dimly lit palace. His face was flawless, and anyone would be captivated by such a handsome face with a touch of androgyny.

What's most impressive is that pair of eyes.

Their sapphire-like eyes are like lakes reflecting the blue sky; one glance is enough to draw you in.

He wore luxurious clothes, but without any aristocratic family crests; the only distinguishable feature was the White Eagle embroidered on his chest.

The maid exclaimed in delight, "Lord Iliphis!"

Iliphis a reassuring smile, then bowed to the beast in a gesture of invitation, and said:

"Your Majesty, you are very tired and should rest."

Anzi III nodded in realization and walked toward the bed. With each step, the stray hairs on his body fell off. When he lay down on the bed, Anzi III had transformed back into a real human, bearing a resemblance to the portrait hanging in the Royal Palace.

The only difference is that in the portrait, he was wise and powerful, exuding an aura that kept strangers at bay, while now, curled up in bed, is just an old man with empty, lifeless eyes.

Iliphis watched Anzi III rest before turning to the maid, his face still bearing a friendly smile.

"Lord Iliphis, thank you," the maid stammered, her face flushed, and she couldn't help but squirm.

Iliphis, and his slender fingers gently touched the maid's forehead as he whispered:

Be more careful next time.

"Alas!"

In that brief moment of contact, the maid was already limp. Iliphis's departing figure, her body trembled, and she couldn't help but groan. In the end, she even fainted.

In the last second before she lost consciousness, she thought:

The White Eagle that brings dawn to the kingdom.

A general who wins every battle.

The legendary leader of the Light Eagle Legion.

Lord Iliphis is so handsome!

The door to the palace was closed, blocking all prying eyes.

Iliphis the bedside, pushed a crimson Blood Therapy Potion into Anzi III's body, and whispered in his ear, "Wake up."

A short while later, Anzi III's eyelids twitched, and he actually opened his eyes, letting out a muffled groan before finally saying:

"Lord Iliphis, is that you here?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, I have come to visit you."

Anzi III forced a smile. "It's really reassuring to see you every time I wake up."

"I have always been here, Your Majesty."

"Yes, you're always there for me when I'm in trouble, whether it's when we're in conflict with the Warrior Country, when we're dealing with barbarian invasions, or even cough cough cough."

Iliphis produced a cup of warm water from somewhere and served it to Anzi III. After coughing for a while, the latter said:

"Have you found my long-lost offspring that you mentioned last time?"

"It's confirmed now. The Light Eagle Legion is escorting her back. You'll be able to see the Princess soon."

"Princess!"

Anzi III's tone was somewhat wistful, and he suddenly gripped Iliphis's wrist tightly, saying:

"She will become the Queen of this country. Please help the future Queen as you have helped me!"

Iliphis lowered his gaze, sweeping over Anzi III's hopeful eyes and withered body, and a captivating smile once again appeared on his face.

"I will, Your Majesty."

"Swear it!"

Iliphis placed his hand on his chest and solemnly said:

"I swear, I Iliphis, will do everything in my power to protect the Arnor Kingdom, to protect the Queen, to protect..."

Before he could finish speaking, Anzi III had already fallen into a deep sleep, and it was only by speaking a few words while still awake that he exhausted his strength.

"Protect 'my' country."

White Eagle uttered his last words, a victor's confidence shining in his eyes.

He injected another Blood Therapy Potion into the King's body, covered him with a blanket, tidied his appearance, and then turned to leave.

As he stepped out of the palace, the anxious ministers stood guard outside. He simply nodded, and they breathed a sigh of relief, crowding around to praise him.

"As expected of Iliphis, as expected of the King's most trusted person."

"Only you can alleviate the King's illness; you are truly a savior sent by heaven."

"It's just that I happen to possess this talent." Iliphis calmly dealt with the ministers' flattery; he was already familiar with handling such matters.

After everyone had exchanged pleasantries, a captain of the Light Eagle Legion walked over leading a white horse.

"Commander, we have received new information from [the other side]."

Iliphis remained calm, greeting the people in the distance as he said, "Ignore them."

"But."

"They are just stepping stones, and no one ever listens to the demands of the stepping stones."

Iliphis mounted his horse, gazing at the setting sun, and said:

"I'm more concerned about the underground city that was discovered near the base than about them."

"But that place hasn't been opened yet."

"I have a feeling it will open soon." Iliphis's blue eyes shone brightly.

"I had a dream, and in that dream, what I needed was hidden there."

The Lord's Room in the Zane Dungeon.

Gong Qiying was reading a letter sent from the Unicorn Dungeon.

[The Burning Demon Extermination Campaign will officially begin in three days. You will receive an invitation from the dungeon at that time; simply accept it.]

[Additionally, here is information about the Burning Demon.]

"This time it started so quickly."

Gong Qiying muttered to himself, "Last time, from the start of the Deathmatch to its end, a lot of things happened."

He began reading the information sent by the Unicorn Dungeon. How could they obtain information on Sealed Object? What exactly was sealed in the Zane Dungeon? He inquired about this with many dungeons, but still knew nothing. The question remained unanswered.

"The Burning Demon is said to be a creature from hell, blessed by an unknown god. It is not afraid of high temperatures, has a strong physique and tenacious vitality, can quickly adapt to the environment and constantly evolve, and reproduces at an extremely fast rate. Under the right conditions, even a severed limb can be reborn as a new individual."

"Most importantly, they are engulfed in an inextinguishable flame that will not go out once touched by it, until it has reduced the enemy to ashes."

"It once caused half a continent to burn, and was later sealed in the Eagle Capital Dungeon."

Gong Qiying pondered for a moment and said:

"It looks like a fusion of the Hulk, Wolverine, and Flame Fist, but its regenerative abilities probably can't compare to Wolverine's."

After reviewing the entire document, the most concerning element is probably the "inextinguishable flame." I wonder if a legendary fire extinguishing technique could put it out.

But the description says they burned half the continent, so the flames probably are a bit eerie.

So how powerful are these flames? If they are just ordinary flames, Gong Qiying himself could stand still and let them burn for several days. But if they are like the Frenzied Flame...

That's impossible, otherwise the Burning Demon would have destroyed the world by now.

But when it comes to defeating "demons," there is probably no one more suitable than King Gwyn's subordinate— the Black Knight.

The Twin Princes of Lothric seem pretty good, but...

The letter from Unicorn Dungeon also mentioned that Red Fang Dungeon, as the leader of the subjugation battle, has the ability to deal with fire, and his monsters will be the main force.

As for Gong Qiying and the other invited dungeon members, they were just extras, objects that the Red Fang Dungeon wanted to get to know and show off their strength.

The Unicorn Dungeon specifically instructed him that everyone—that is, all the dungeons invited to participate in the subjugation battle except for the Red Fang Dungeon —had unanimously decided to keep a low profile.

Since it's a solo show for Red Fang Dungeon, it's not really appropriate for him, Zane Dungeon, to steal the spotlight. It wouldn't be good to steal someone else's spotlight, in case he gets resentful.

Besides, it's probably not a good idea to act too assertive in front of other city lords.

Gong Qiying lay down on the Shrine, staring at the ceiling, and muttered to himself:

"Then I'll just play a supporting role this time."

It is not a green leaf.