As the world witnessed the imperial execution, where an empyrean rank lost his life, all nations shook to their core. Shon was the first to respond because two of its High Cardinals were closest to the execution. However, their report was met with silence from the father of Shon.
“Arthur Silvera killed Osian?” asked the father again, hoping he would get a different answer. When his hopes were crushed, he let out a long sigh. “Rae should have somewhat an amicable relationship with him. Send her to negotiate peace.”
“That is…” hesitated the High Cardinal as he looked at the fight in the sky, which was still in full swing. Arthur Silvera was surrounded by rebels, ready to fight. “She has… sworn loyalty to Arthur Silvera.”
“That is good!”
“That happened before he killed Osian. Furthermore, she said…” the High Cardinal allowed his words to trail off, making the father burst out with a stern voice.
“What did she say?”
“Almighty Father, I was merely warning her that you would be furious if she helps Arthur Silvera. Her words are….”
“Out with it,” burst out the ruler of Shon, making the High Cardinal gulp down and reveal the truth.
“She said… you could fuck off.”
There was silence on the other end of the line. The High Cardinal didn’t say a thing, fearing he would be the one losing his head. Many lost their heads in the name of blasphemy for far lesser crimes. Thus, despite being his daughter, Rae would not be spared.
“…interesting.”
Father of Shon sounded furious, brimming with cold rage. The report ended with the High Cardinal being instructed to retreat once the forces lost against Arthur Silvera. However, even until the end, Father of Shon told them they should remain neutral.
This wasn’t the case for the four nations who arrived to aid Ilios against the rebellion. On the contrary, the fact that Osian fell even after using the power of nothingness gave them an alarming sense of urgency to eradicate the culprit.
Thus, hundreds of battleships filled the sky of Helios. Their arrival was magnificent, and although smaller than the Runic Dome, their numbers were overwhelming. However, once the reinforcements arrived, the fighting stopped between the two sides.
Although surrounded by the hundred or so ships, Arthur Silvera was smiling. He didn’t have an ounce of fear, but no one expected him to have any. Nevertheless, this man has defeated two of the world’s strongest awakeners in a row, and his mere presence made the people around him nervous.
Arthur then raised his arms, creating several runes that glowed soft Indigo color. Then, they started rotating around each other like a solar system before expanding to create a giant portal.
“Those who wish to fight with me can enter through here. As for those who do not, I would call them wise and not resent them.”
After saying those words, Arthur started walking toward the portal. It seemed connected to the top of his runic dome, where the fight occurred.
***
A portal appeared, grabbing the attention of those present. Suyin, Alan, and Yuran were huffing as sweat covered their faces. Rae was still in better shape, and Li looked the same. When a man arrived through the portal, all those present felt the pressure.
His crowned head carried a pair of golden eyes laced with black vines that protruded upwards like horns. The aura coming from his body was suffocating, like being submerged in water.
“We meet at last, Ascent Guild Master,” said a man sitting atop a dragon’s head. The monster was gigantic, as giant as the battleships hovering around it. It had red scales and yellow eyes as it started at Arthur with bloodlust. “Your exploits and thievery in Kera made you quite infamous in Thiria.”
“I stole nothing.”
“You did,” said the man before he rose to his feet. The dragon opened its maw and roared in rage toward Arthur. “You stole a dragon from our nation. There are no dragons in this world other than ours.”
“And what about those in Alka?” asked Arthur. The man, who looked in his thirties with a wild head of orange hair, grinned. He raised his tattooed arm and pounded his bare chest.
“Have you met any that survived?”
Arthur was silent at his question. Indeed, dragons were killed as soon as they were seen because no one could control them. However, Thiria was different because it managed to tame them. Thiria could tame any monster.
“I have,” said Arthur with a smile before raising his hand. Violet lights exploded before Lilo left his body like a mirage, manifesting in front of the red dragon. Its size was almost half its enemy, but Lilo was ecstatic because it joined the battle. “Lilo looks alive to me, don’t you think?”
The man’s grin disappeared as he stared at the violet dragon. Its small stature did not fool him into believing the dragon was harmless. On the contrary, he seemed to know that it was a difficult opponent to handle.
“Elusive Dragon,” muttered the man with rage as he clenched his fist. “It was stolen from our nation countless years ago before it hatched. A beast theft is a crime punishable by death in Thiria, and blood is paid with blood!”
These words, blood is paid with blood, were the words that Thiria was known for. These tribes have banded together against the whole world and ensured that no one dared to cross them. Thus, if someone stole one of their beasts, he would die.
“I met Lilo in a cave,” Arthur affectionately said as he patted the dragon’s scales, making Lilo close its eyes in glee. “As far as I’m concerned, our meeting was fated. Don’t accuse me of theft, tamer.”
“The moment you formed a contract with it, you became an enemy of Thiria. We cannot allow an outsider to be a dragon tamer. Give it back, for I must see it die alongside its owner.”
“Lilo is my family,” said Arthur, his smile crumbling at the request. The threatening aura intensified, making allies and foes step back. “If you attempt to take him, I will kill you here.”
It was not a threat.
It was a plain and simple fact.
Silence descended on the battlefield as the portal started spewing out rebels who came to aid Arthur in his fight. All of them gathered on the roof of the Runic Dome, which was big enough to let them surround the enemies.
Laughter broke the silence as the beast tamer seemed unable to hold it back anymore. It was brimming with rage, which the tamer worked nothing to hide. Then, he leaned forward with a grin as his orange hair started rising like a wrathful lion.
“This is fun. This is fun,” said the man twice, and Arthur noticed that his fangs started to grow. Being in multiple contracts with monsters seemed to affect humans as well, just like Demihumans. Arthur fused with Lilo sometimes, granting him wings. “You are the first human who dares to cross me after seeing my dragon.”
“I heard of your exploits, Dragonir Guild Master,” replied Arthur with an apathetic voice, and Lilo started growling at them. “You threatened a friend of mine into joining Dragonir ten years ago.”
“I don’t recall small fry,” said the Guild Master as he started cracking his bones loose. “Ten years ago… At that time….”
“You were an Astra-ranker.”
“And here you are, arrogant enough to threaten me. I crushed a guild when I was your age, kid. Do not test me. Give the dragon back, and I will give you a swift death.”
“…it was no threat, and if you are so eager to take Lilo, then it’s time to give up your life,” said Arthur with a cold expression. “You crushed a guild when you were my age? Then I will crush a Titan Guild, whose name is Dragonir.”
“You forget us, handsome man,” said the veiled woman riding on a broomstick. She wore light clothes that revealed her belly and thighs, with dangling golden chains strapped to her limbs. “We are also your enemy.”
“You are the Witch Princess of Sourna, right?” asked Arthur as he glanced at her. She was seated on her broom, which looked like an ordinary item. “Does your country wish to make an enemy out of me?”
“We have nothing against a man as lovely, but these are the politics of our world,” said the woman with a grin. “If we do not aid Thiria here, our trade with them will be cut off.”
“There is no need for excuses,” scowled the tamer at her, making her snicker as she flew around them. “You have no chance against our entire fleet, thief. Even if this vessel of yours holds some capabilities, it cannot function without mana!”
At that moment, the Runic Dome lit up beneath their feet. Then, before anyone could realize what had happened, arrays appeared above their heads before they fired countless attacks toward the Light Prison in the sky.
