https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-492-The-Suburbs-of-Northwind-Keep-Steel-Dragon-Wing-Palace/13676990/
Chapter 491: Fate and Slumber
"Let us now welcome the sole leader of the Anzeta Great Wasteland, the Emperor of the Ashen Flame—King Kai Xiusu—for the awarding of the championship!"
The crowd’s gaze instantly snapped back to the High Platform. Ten thousand souls within the Great Arena lifted their eyes toward the figure seated upon the throne, collectively holding their breath.
The man wore a crimson-embroidered robe, his head crowned with a luxuriant diadem. His淡 golden eyes—pale gold like molten sunlight—were deep and fathomless, radiating an aura of absolute control.
Where the True Red Dragon Form was a force of primal terror, this young noble exuded something far more compelling—awe-inspiring, almost divine. The people’s reverence for him surpassed mere fear. He was not just a ruler; he was a living legend.
The word Divine Being echoed simultaneously through the minds of tens of thousands, etching itself into their memories.
"King Kai Xiusu!"
"Long live the Emperor!"
"Kai Xiusu! The man among men, the male among males!"
Their voices erupted in a frenzy, wild with devotion. They shouted with every fiber of their being, pouring their hearts into the chant.
Yet, as always, the Players’ declarations carried that uniquely “distinctive” flair. Fortunately, both the Empire’s subjects below and the King upon the throne were long accustomed to it.
Amidst the thunderous roar, Kai Xiusu offered a faint smile. Rising slowly from his throne, he swept his gaze across the arena, scanning the eager eyes of his countless loyal subjects. Only then did he turn toward the victor at the center of the field.
"Steel Tide," he said, his voice calm yet carrying perfectly through the vast hall, "you have risen from ten thousand challengers to prove your valor and fearless spirit. The Empire of Ashen does not forget those who possess ability and ambition. And you—deserve the value of our Empire."
Every word was crystal clear. Every syllable sharp as a blade. The crowd held their breath, their hearts pounding, hearts aching with longing—wishing, more than anything, that they were the ones standing there, bathed in glory.
"Congratulations, Dragon Flame Champion," Kai Xiusu said.
Steel Tide instantly understood. He dropped into a half-kneel, bowing deeply. "I am forever grateful for Your Majesty’s grace. Your kindness… I shall carry it in my heart for all my days."
He fumbled in his pocket, pulled out a small slip of paper, glanced at it briefly, then continued:
"To the warrior and student of King Kai Xiusu, the people of the Empire—our eternal loyalty to his immortal achievements, our unwavering service to the Empire, is not just duty… it is our sacred oath."
His tone was sincere—almost tremulous—with the fervor of a man who could write a ten-thousand-word speech if given the chance.
After all, this was a golden opportunity to boost his Faction Leader’s Favor Level—something others would kill for but never get.
The Players in the Audience Stand, the Tieflings, the Great Goblins, the common Humans—all watched with practiced familiarity. Some even gave subtle nods of approval. Loyalty was the Empire’s highest form of political correctness. One couldn’t afford to be wrong.
"Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap!"
The applause erupted like a storm, echoing through the vast hall, lingering long after the last hand had stopped moving.
On the High Platform, Lanpu rubbed his chin, nodding in approval. This Stellarfallen is truly adept, he thought. Truly worthy of cultivation.
Even without a prepared speech script, the man had nailed every minor detail.
On the throne, Kai Xiusu’s smile froze. His lips twitched almost imperceptibly.
Good home boy…
These Players are getting better at this dialogue business.
He needed Faith, yes—but this scene felt… odd. Still, after years on the battlefield, he had learned to maintain dignity at all costs.
After a brief pause, he made his decision. On his Character Sheet, he increased Steel Tide’s Favor Level by 15, then carefully preserved his composure.
> [Faction Leader Privilege Activated.]
> [You bestow upon Player Steel Tide the Battalion Special Title: Dragon Flame Champion.]
Kai Xiusu raised his arm, stretching it across the hundred meters between them, pointing with a single finger.
"Steel Tide," he declared, "you shall receive the exclusive honor bestowed only upon the champion."
A beam of golden fire shot from his fingertip, streaking across the sky, then merging into Steel Tide’s body.
Instantly, a surge of golden flame engulfed him, swirling rapidly before coalescing into a dazzling, ornate armor. Then—
Boom—
A thunderous crack split the air. Two fiery wings burst from his back, unfurling slowly, then flapping with deliberate grace.
Above his head, a golden title shimmered into existence:
[Dragon Flame Champion]
"I’m invincible!" Steel Tide grinned, staring at his armored hands, then turning to gaze at his blazing wings. The pride in his eyes was unmistakable.
Sure, the boost in battle power was nice—but what truly mattered was the cosmetic effect. This outfit was epic.
With a flourish, he raised his Chain Saw Sword, slapped his flame-wings, and struck a dramatic pose for the crowd.
"Whoa?!"
"So hot?!"
"Even the official drops Rare Equipment like they’re handing out candy—but this? This is insane!"
"I’m literally envious! Who’s in with me to kidnap War狂 Guy?"
"Can’t beat him anyway…"
The Players in the stands stared in awe, their envy palpable. Even the Overlord of the Royal Authority Guild clenched his teeth in frustration. This was the moment he’d dreamed of—his ultimate scene.
But on the throne, Kai Xiusu silently reflected: This took me only half an hour. And a single breath of energy.
He could produce this kind of outfit on demand. It was a clever way to reward players, and a low-cost method of gaining experience points.
And granting the special title? That was a unique privilege of being a Faction Leader—costing almost nothing, yet carrying immense symbolic weight.
"Master," Lanpu whispered, leaning close. "The time is nearly upon us."
"I know," Kai Xiusu replied. "Have you prepared the replacement?"
"Of course, Master. As soon as we received your intelligence, we began preparations months ago. We’ve cultivated a new batch of replacement personnel to step in for Stellarfallen. This way, their disappearance won’t destabilize society."
Lanpu paused, his tone turning grave.
"Right now, the Empire has just over seven million people. Including the elderly, the weak, the sick, and the disabled, the working-age population is under five million. And Stellarfallen makes up forty thousand of them—never tired, always efficient, one of them equivalent to three ordinary workers. They are vital to our progress."
He sighed. "After their departure… the Empire may slow down. Economic decline. Even a labor shortage crisis could arise."
"Adjust as best you can," Kai Xiusu said. "Give the factory owners one year. Tell them not to rush to scale up production."
"Yes, Master."
Kai Xiusu glanced at his Character Sheet. The countdown read: 5 minutes until the second Server Shutdown.
That meant Ailezegai Version 1.0 — Northern Winds and Storms — was about to end.
The Players sensed it too. Murmurs spread across the arena.
"Whoa—look at the system! It’s about to shut down!"
"Yeah, less than five minutes!"
"Got so caught up in the match, I didn’t even notice—only five minutes left!"
"What’s the next version gonna be?"
"Hey, how long will game time pass when we return? What if all my stuff’s gone?"
"I don’t know… but no matter how the era changes, I’ll always be a loyal servant of King Kai Xiusu."
Singo lowered his head, his expression dull, defeated. "Next time… I won’t lose to Steel Tide."
Kai Xiusu stared at the rapidly flashing numbers on his sheet. "Time is indeed short…"
In the spotlight of a thousand eyes, Kai Xiusu leapt into the air, transforming mid-flight into his True Red Dragon Form. His massive silhouette filled the sky above the arena.
"That’s…"
"King Kai Xiusu’s True Form!"
A dragon over forty meters long unfurled its wings, nearly blotting out the sun. Its shadow stretched across thousands, a crushing weight of presence.
In the sunlight, the crimson scales shimmered like molten flame, sending a shiver down the spine of even the bravest.
Even knowing he was their own Faction Leader, the sheer, instinctual dragon aura—the spiritual dread of a being of incomparable power—pressed down on them, stealing their breath.
Kai Xiusu, golden vertical pupils scanning the crowd, slowly flapped his wings. His voice boomed like a temple bell.
"When you return, chaos and catastrophe will once again descend upon the Earth. Prepare yourselves. As long as you fight for the Empire, the Front Door of Anzeta will remain open to you."
"So, Stellarfallen… until we meet again."
He blinked.
The crowd erupted.
"Whoa? Did the boss know we were shutting down?!"
"Of course he did. The NPCs in Ailezegai are terrifyingly intelligent. I’ve been outsmarted by them before. They’ve known we’ve vanished for weeks—they’ve been watching."
"Is this a hint about the main questline?"
"We haven’t even shut down yet, and I’m already counting down the days to the next launch!"
"Official, hurry up and update! One day without Ailezegai feels like ants crawling under my skin!"
"Countdown’s starting!" someone shouted.
On their Character Sheets, the numbers ticked down—second by second.
"10… 9… 8…"
"3… 2… 1…"
"0."
The number hit zero.
No warning. No signal.
In that instant, the roar of the crowd ceased—utterly, completely.
The triumphant Steel Tide. The dejected Singo. The Stuffed Bun still recording footage. The tens of thousands of common Players, caught in heated debate.
All vanished—reduced to fine, glowing particles in a single, silent moment. No trace. No echo.
The once-packed Audience Stand now stood empty. The vast arena, capable of holding over ten thousand, now lay dotted with empty seats.
In the outskirts of Isdalia City, a Player who had been commanding workers on a construction site simply disappeared—leaving behind only a stack of design blueprints.
"Where’d the boss go?" someone asked.
In the Mechanical Divinity Research Lab, a Cultist was mid-experiment on a massive device. Then—gone. His Native Assistant continued recording data, as if this were expected.
"Results are highly accurate this time. Shame the lead researcher’s absent."
At the Imperial Propaganda Tower, the towering piles of manuscripts sat untouched. No hands scribbled furiously on them anymore.
A Minstrel walked over, picked up an unfinished manuscript, sighed deeply. "They left behind seven months’ worth of work… seven months!"
Deep in the North Ruins, a Clawed Horror, mid-swallow, paused—its meal suddenly vanished. It scratched its long, sharp claws against its head, confused.
"Awooo?"
Kai Xiusu hovered above the now-empty Audience Stand, his wings slowly beating. Then, with a final glance, he soared upward.
"Finally… it’s over."
In his memory, in his past life, at this very moment, the Players had just helped the Northern Kingdoms repel the Demons. They’d toasted with Battlefield Heroes like Baron Jacob and Duke Leo, celebrating all night.
But back then, the Northern Regions still suffered under the decayed rule of the Northern Nobles—enduring cold, hunger, and centuries-old suffering.
Now… everything had changed.
The Northern Kingdoms were utterly destroyed. A brand-new Empire had risen, devouring their remains. Even the Demons had been eradicated by Kai Xiusu—forced into retreat.
Yet Anzeta Great Wasteland remained isolated. Its impact on the continental balance was minimal.
The Empire’s maximum reach: smuggling arms, de facto control over the Kaspar Region, and balancing the strength of the three major powers.
The true moment—when the Tri-Emperor Confrontation reaches deadlock—would be when the Empire of Ashen steps onto the grand stage of Feanso, reborn as a new force.
"Almost there," the Red Dragon murmured, his wings slicing through the sky. A powerful hurricane roared behind him, but he didn’t hurry.
The people of Isdalia City looked up, their eyes wide with awe. They clasped their hands in prayer, some even knelt in worship.
That was their Emperor. Their divine being.
Kai Xiusu ascended higher—past the clouds. His wings beat hard, tearing through the thick veil of fog, scattering the heavens. The world below unfolded before him.
Isdalia shrank to a speck. He saw the snow-capped Storm Ridge of the North, the vast Matra Farmland to the south, the Okgaral Plain, even the distant Anstica Mountains.
He hadn’t looked upon the Earth like this in years.
The first time he had gazed upon this land, he was a trembling, desperate dragonling, terrified of his own future.
Now, decades had passed. He stood not as a survivor—but as the sovereign of his own Empire. The sole master of the Anzeta Great Wasteland. The famed Red Emperor of the continent.
Kai Xiusu stared at the world below, then slowly extended his massive claw—reaching as if to grasp it in his palm.
"Fate is not a fixed, unchangeable path."
"It can be shaped… even controlled."
He spoke softly, almost to himself.
He hated fatalism. He loved the power to change everything.
Three days later, the suburbs of Northwind Keep.
"Roar—!"
The Red Dragon hovered above the Iron Dragon Wing Palace, wings flaring, his Imperial Authority spreading like ripples across the land.
The ground trembled. Mountains rose, swelling into greater grandeur. The caves within the mountain expanded, their interiors now glowing with molten lava, steaming with heat—perfect for a dragon’s home.
With a slow, deliberate motion, the Red Dragon glided into the cavern. Surrounded by magma, he curled into a massive coil, his eyes closing.
It was time for his Third Slumber.
This time, he had full control. The terrifying energy hummed within his mountain-sized body, flowing in rhythm with his breath—steady, powerful, eternal.
"Being able to serve Your Majesty is our honor!"
"Your spellcraft model keeps failing! Next time you make a mistake—don’t come back!"
Outside the cave, Lanpu barked orders, directing over a hundred mages as they wove protective spells. Curses flew, but now, Kai Xiusu’s control over his surroundings was near-divine. The spells were more for show than substance.
Lanpu stared at the now-ennobled hole—the entrance to the dragon’s lair. Memories flooded him.
He remembered the first time he saw the Red Dragon—back when he was just a simple, food-obsessed Ogre, no different from the others.
But the Red Dragon had changed everything. He had shown him a world far greater than the wasteland. A world where life had meaning beyond hunger.
Tightening his grip on his staff, Lanpu bowed deeply toward the cave.
"Master," he whispered.
"I promise you… when you awaken, you’ll find an Empire stronger than ever."
(End of Chapter)
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