"This isn’t what we agreed on."

Yellow Finger Hazel adjusted his yellow hat, resembling a mushroom cap, as he dismounted from the gigantic flying dragon and complained.

"Weren’t we supposed to help Lann deal with that Lord of Cinders? That Profound Saint, Elderidge!"

Clearly, Hazel felt a bit underestimated and was somewhat worried if Lann could manage without the help of people like them.

However, Thorn Knight Kirk beside Hazel continued to act like an experienced old hand.

Just by his gaze, one could tell he seemed to recognize many of the ancient existences present.

When looking at the Silver Knights, he focused on their armor.

When observing Simo and Ongstein, he wasn’t at all dazzled by their golden magnificent armor; instead, he concentrated on their massive hammers and cross spears.

After a quick sweep, Kirk raised his shield filled with steel spikes and Thorn Sword.

"You should be happy not to confront those like the Lord of Cinders, Hazel. Besides, this... is also a tough battle involving big players."

While speaking, Kirk displayed extraordinary battlefield comprehension.

Almost mirroring Lann’s performance on the battlefield, just a glance was enough for Kirk to completely grasp the current battlefield situation and adjust his position independently.

He formed a makeshift defensive formation with Hazel and Leonard, two familiar individuals.

However, unlike Lann, Kirk evidently lacked the ability to get his teammates to seamlessly conform to his actions.

While forming this makeshift formation, he had to give Hazel a kick with his less spiky boot.

"Whatever else, Lann at least understands boundaries."

Leonard drew out the Crescent Curved Sword, warily looking around to expand his observation area, and spoke casually without looking back.

"Since he didn’t summon us to confront the Lord of Cinders, it means he thinks it’s unnecessary. We just need to do our part and fulfill our promise. In the end, we’ll owe each other nothing."

"Sirius from the Land of Dusk, can’t last long on the battlefield alone; are you a fledgling?"

As he spoke, he also called out to Sirius, who kept a prudent distance from them.

It seems Lann really has strong social skills... even in such a short time, he’s able to get Summoning Badges from others.

Under Leonard’s silver mask, his teeth clenched in displeasure.

Meanwhile, Sirius cautiously approached Rosalie’s followers.

"I know the rules of the battlefield, but I don’t trust you."

Initially, her words remained cold as always. But soon, the tone shifted.

"However, it seems you can still offer me warnings... Seems like what Lann said is true; you’re not heretics."

The conversations between them didn’t last long.

Those soul bodies summoned by Lann using white-marked wax stones soon faced an onslaught from the Warrior Knights! 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

These loyal dogs of Pope Shalivan, just now under the spear thrown by Ongstein from the giant flying dragon’s back,

were shaken up into waves and thrown into the air.

Upon landing, they behaved much more cautiously, even the wild beast nature seemed suppressed.

But intimidation always fades, especially in front of mindless Mad Beasts.

And the sudden battle sounds nearby didn’t cause any shift in the eyes below Pope Shalivan’s crown.

A genius mage once called ’wisdom,’ now dared not wipe the cold sweat unconsciously emerging.

The calm and controlled demeanor just now vanished quickly when Ongstein threw the Dragon Hunting Spear and landed in front of him.

Lann had slightly felt before the sensation of the spear tip already at the throat.

This time, Shalivan tasted an ultra-enhanced version.

Previously, Ongstein held little animosity towards Lann, but this time although Ongstein remained silent, the feeling... was murderous intent!

Holding the Dragon Hunting Cross Spear was Ongstein! The leader among the Four Knights of the King!

In his early days in the Dark Moon Sect, Shalivan never saw this man.

But even without meeting, Shalivan knew clearly of this man’s title and the feats and power behind the title.

Unlike the Divine Era Warriors like the Silver Knights who couldn’t withstand the erosion of time,

And different from the Divine Era Warriors like Simo who were obviously specialized,

Ongstein, even at the peak of the Divine Race during the early Fire Age, was at the summit among countless knights!

Even among the top four, he was the pinnacle!

What kind of joke is this! How could someone like this still be alive now?!

Shalivan’s eyes under his crown were nearly numb at this point.

How could someone still alive like this be allowed free by that fool Gwendolin?!

For his ambition, Shalivan had been plotting this coup and usurpation for at least a hundred years.

He used his position within the Dark Moon Sect to ascend bit by bit, comprehensively reviewing the history of the Divine Race from bottom to top.

As he transformed from a young foreign mage into the Pope of the Dark Moon Sect, logically speaking, no one in the world should know the Divine Race better than he does.

Gwyndolin needed someone to serve the Divine Race, and naturally, those who served should come to understand the Divine Race.

The composition and whereabouts of the royal family members, and even the outcomes of those loyal and powerful forces during the glorious Mythical Era, were all clear to Shalivan.

The [Wolf Knight] Artorias died in the ancient golden magic kingdom of Wula West Road while crusading against the Abyss.

The [Eagle Eye Knight] Goff of the Giant Race was targeted due to the lowly status of giants, blinded, and exiled, and eventually disappeared without trace.

The [Wasp Knight] Kialan guarded Artorias’s grave until his death.

Although the [Lion Knight] Ongstein served in the Royal City under the New God King for a period of time, he had already handed his ’resignation,’ that is, returned the Lion Ring representing his status to Gwyndolin, before Shalivan entered the Dark Moon Sect.

These people either died, were heartbroken, or went far away... even if they were alive, what reason would they have to continue serving the Divine Race?

However, theory is theory, and fact is fact.

From the moment Ongstein appeared, Shalivan already knew—

The development of the situation was completely out of control!

Yet, would an ambitious person who dared to launch a rebellion and advance it to this stage really collapse and give up due to unforeseen circumstances or unexpected enemies, when there’s no turning back?

"Boom!"

The Sin Greatsword in Shalivan’s hand burst into flames of sin in an instant, while the other sword of condemnation glowed with a deep blue magic power, more profound than that of the Dark Moon.

Deeper than the Dark Moon, this was Shalivan’s own magic power, or one could say, the essence of Mage Shalivan.

Facing the murderous intent of the legendary Great Knight, the eyes beneath the pope’s crown were deep and muddy. He assumed a swordsmanship stance that even a skilled swordsman couldn’t find fault with.

Clearly, Mage Shalivan understood one principle: once the bow is drawn, there is no turning back.

-----------------

"Roar!!!"

The massive dragons guarding the pathway atop the Ancient Dragon, each one twice the size of Losric’s dragons.

Not only were they twice the size, but their breath’s power and duration far surpassed that of ordinary dragons.

The residents of Cold Valley were nearly all dead, not much different from Losric.

Except that Losric was due to the rampage of the Undead, along with the rebellion and the dragonification experiment spread by Ausloes.

Cold Valley, on the other hand, was plagued by Moon Worms and needed to feed Elderidge and his few clergy members brought along.

Once the situation at the New Divine Capital was clear, the giant dragons were unrestrained.

They plunged from the sky, the intense firelight within their long, winding necks shining through their skin.

The streets of Ilyushil, in this eternal snow night, welcomed the purification of dragon flames.

The high and low Gothic rooftops became the landing spots for the dragons.

Their broad winged claws grabbed the spires of the buildings, and the wing membranes covered more than half of the structures.

The dragon flames were like plows, sweeping back and forth across the streets.

The undead knights of the pope screamed and vanished under these dragon flames.

And these dragon flames, which tore through the night sky, illuminating the cold snowy night, did not only bloom in Ilyushil.

Above the New Divine Capital, the ancient capital Yanorlund that had been relocated here.

"Rumble~"

The distant and gloomy thunderclouds somehow covered the entire area!

If Lann hadn’t repeatedly confirmed that the Qilin had not acted, and that the arcs of electricity flashing in the thunderclouds were brilliant gold, he might have thought it was the work of the Ancient Dragon of the New Continent.

But without a doubt, although both showed ’thunderclouds.’

This thundercloud was far more fierce than Qilin’s ’small skirmish.’

"Crash!"

In the original bedchambers, the narrow and long stained glass windows on both walls shattered into countless pieces with a sound of breaking glass.

The glass shards reflected the moonlight above, sparkling.

And the broad rune cloth on Qilin floated amidst the stars in the air.

Already having bypassed the obstructive giant slaves, Elderidge, with his mud-like body, suddenly jerked next to Gwyndolin.

And to isolate the profound invasion, Gwyndolin, who voluntarily cut off two of his serpent legs, also looked up at the source of the sound.

Beneath the crown of the Shadow Sun, lips cherry-like slightly parted, obviously not expecting what unfolded before them.

A knight, riding his warhorse, crashed through the window from outside the bedchamber!

In such despair, such darkness, Lann shattered the window, letting the moonlight in.

While the Demon Hunter was still in midair, his eyes swiftly scanned the whole scene, grasping the situation in an instant.

"Bang," the hooves of the Qilin landed on the marble floor of the bedchamber, the two front hooves creating web-like pits.

But the Qilin, just landed, moved tirelessly under the direction of his partner on its back!