Chapter 346: Orders and Armor Classhievement
The armies of the Kingdom of Ashen surged forward, charging against the menacing Dragon Vein Beasts. In the face of such overwhelming force, the Allied Forces—tens of thousands strong—surrendered without hesitation, their resolve crumbling instantly. Even Noble officers who dared to entertain thoughts of rebellion were torn apart by fanatical followers, their bodies ripped limb from limb before they could even raise a sword.
With the enemy utterly broken, the victors marched south in full formation, leading a vast army of captives toward the heart of the Bosk Duchy—the capital city of Stravburg, and the nominal seat of the Northern Union Kingdom.
Kai Xiusu lounged lazily beside a small hill, his golden eyes half-lidded, while nearby lay the unconscious Silver Dragon. Guarding the scene were the Blue Dragon and the White Dragon, their forms rigid with vigilance. Before him knelt Dolo, the Great Goblin Marshal, one knee pressed into the earth, his milky, clouded eyes alight with feverish excitement, his nostrils puffing white smoke with every breath.
“Your Majesty,” Dolo rasped, bowing his head lower still. “In this campaign, we have slain over seventy-six thousand enemy soldiers. We captured thirty-six thousand Allied Forces troops, and two hundred seventeen Northern Nobles—including Horace Bosk, eldest son of Duke Leo Bosk.”
He paused, his yellow eyes flickering with cunning. “Our own losses were only eight thousand seven hundred and sixty.”
He hesitated, then added, “Yet… even these modest victories pale in the shadow of Your Radiance. Your name will echo across the entire Feiansuo Continent, and beyond—throughout the Prime Material Plane. You have defeated ‘Silver Wings’ Oszedro. The legend of the Burnt King shall be eternal.”
Kai Xiusu glanced at him, then turned his gaze away, indifferent. “You did well. But you must accelerate the pace.”
He fixed Dolo with a stare. “Three months. I give you three months. In that time, I want to see a unified Northern Region—under the banner of the Kingdom of Ashen, at least in name.”
It was an impossible demand.
Anzeta, though sparsely populated, was vast—its territory stretching over a million square kilometers. And for a thousand years, the Northern Nobles had ruled with iron grip. Their power was deeply rooted, not something that could be uprooted overnight.
Yet it was the King’s Order.
Unquestionable. Absolute.
Cold sweat broke across Dolo’s brow, but he forced a grotesque smile. “Yes, Your Majesty. The Military Department will complete the conquest of the Northern Regions. The main Allied Forces have been utterly annihilated. The garrisons across the lands are now defenseless. The eastern and western armies are making swift progress.”
“Go ahead,” Kai Xiusu said, his voice calm. His pale gold eyes narrowed, and a flicker of draconic authority shimmered within them. “But I do not want to see a land ravaged by war—streets littered with the dead, skies filled with wails. I do not want a wasteland. I want this land to become part of the Kingdom of Ashen. A cradle for our growth. Do you understand?”
Dolo wiped the sweat from his forehead, bowing deeply. “As You Command, Your Majesty.”
With that, Dolo and the armies of the Kingdom of Ashen departed.
The Red Dragon paid no mind to the bickering, snarling White and Blue Dragons beside him. Instead, he murmured a few words and activated the 【Egg of Protection】, crafting a private, hidden alternate dimension where he could rest undisturbed.
Kai Xiusu remained still, his gaze fixed upon his Character Sheet. A cascade of new information scrolled across the screen. He first turned his attention to the golden trophy.
【Conquest of Nations】
I have witnessed the fall of countless mortal realms. And you—too—shall be destroyed. Ancient Red Dragon, Fyordanov.
Obtained Traits:
- 【Conqueror of Nations】: Strength +1, Charisma +1
- Proficiencies: Intimidation +4, Leadership +4
You have destroyed a nation of a million souls. Your name now strikes terror into the hearts of mortals. Your strength commands awe from across the world. You have walked the path of conquest—and there is no turning back.
Kai Xiusu narrowed his eyes. A silent, violent ripple surged through the air, striking his massive Dragon body. Even the Nine-Ring Spell, which had once proven nearly unbreakable, trembled under the strain.
"Roar!"
With each low growl, his muscles writhed and bulged, his scales splitting open as thick, white smoke poured from the cracks. Pain lanced through him—his flesh twisted like a knotted rope—yet from it emerged a power far greater than before.
“Still… going,” the Red Dragon breathed, stretching his body with a deep, satisfied sigh, exhaling a sulfurous breath.
The strength continued to spread, reshaping the very aura around him—the invisible force that shaped reality itself. Elemental energy swirled around his form, flowing in rhythm with his will. The Weave of Magic pulsed like a living heartbeat.
Charisma surpassed thirty.
Scholars had long debated the nature of such spellcasters, using terms like Primordial Spellcaster, True Manipulator, or Arcane Overreacher. But one truth was certain:
This was no longer mortal.
This was a new realm entirely.
“Interesting,” Kai Xiusu muttered, a feral grin spreading across his face.
After this transformation, his magic had changed at its core. No longer did he merely channel or commune with the Weave of Magic. Now, he seemed to control reality itself. And faintly, he sensed something deeper—something beyond the Weave, a primal essence just out of reach.
From the void, he withdrew a silvery-white gemstone, holding it gently in his claw.
【Fractured Breath of Bahamut】
Quality: Artifact (Damaged)
Creator: Bahamut
Description: Said to be the first breath of “Lord of the Northern Wind,” Bahamut, at dawn—condensed into a gem. It holds a faint trace of Divine Power. Eight hundred and seventy years ago, it was bestowed upon the young Dragon Oszedro and set into the White Gold Compass. But during the cataclysmic “Battle of the Two Dragons” in Anzeta, the Compass was destroyed, and the gem’s divine essence was consumed by Chaos Flame. Only a remnant of Order-based Divine Power remains.
Effects:
- 【Sacred Order】: The gem’s light draws all around it toward Order and Good.
- 【Breeze of the North】: You may exhale a breath of extreme cold, freezing your enemies to death.
“Fine prize,” Kai Xiusu mused, cradling the gem. Its faint glow brought clarity to his mind like a balm.
After the battle, the mark of Bahamut had been erased—but the lingering Order energy remained. It was the perfect sedative.
He felt it clearly: the frantic pounding of the Heart of Karex in his chest had calmed. Its violent pulse had slowed, steadied—perhaps calmed by the icy breath of Bahamut’s Northern Wind.
He checked his Character Sheet.
[Absorption Progress of 【Heart of Karex】: 4.57%]
The earlier battle using Chaos Breath had accelerated the progress dramatically. Now, at last, the relentless countdown had paused. A small sigh of relief escaped him.
But he knew it was only temporary. The curse of the Revenant Demon was not so easily undone. He would need more than this.
The battle had yielded rich rewards. New experience points flooded into his sheet.
- [Shadowrealm Tracker – Grom Saxon (Challenge Rating: 17)] → 18,000 XP
- [Primordial Warrior – Rano Furyax (Challenge Rating: 18)] → 20,000 XP
- [Radiant Dragon Slayer – Dekks Flamegold (Challenge Rating: 19)] → 23,000 XP
Yet… no Ascension.
The Ancestral Red Dragon template—unyielding, mysterious, unique—combined with his Gundam-level 17th Class Level, had made the required XP for 【True Dragon Mage】 Ascension astronomically high. Even sacrificing the entire Legendary Adventure party wouldn’t be enough to advance him by a single level. Perhaps only the death of Oszedro could grant it.
“This rate is too slow,” Kai Xiusu murmured.
“Maybe… besides slaughtering everything myself, I should find other sources of experience.”
His eyes lingered on his character template, lost in thought.
“Player,” he whispered.
(End of Chapter)
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