Chapter 778: Audience and Conversation
Majestic and pure white, On the Altar loomed beneath the radiant gaze of the Red Dragon Emperor, exuding an overwhelming sense of Oppressive Pressure. Under the blazing light of that sun-like orb, the Emperor’s Gaze carried an unearthly sacredness, a solemn grandeur that stirred within Adrian a faint, trembling awe—like standing before the Avatar of the Sun God.
“You’ve finally come, Adrian,” boomed the Imposing Voice from the Red Dragon’s throat, thunderous as a Thunderbolt’s Roar, heavy with force. At the very first words, a wave of Sulfuric Scent surged forward, hot and suffocating, nearly choking him.
“Baron Adrian of the Kingdom of Seleucus, Audience of Anzeta and Thrace, lawful Monarch of the Feanso North, Emperor of the Empire of Ashen, King Kai Xiusu.”
Adrian dropped to one knee instantly, his original intent to perform the standard Fadalan Noble bow forgotten in his panic. Instead, he instinctively fell into the Sun God Church Internal Rite. Behind him, Rolf gasped in shock, but quickly recovered, bowing deeply as well—paying homage to the most Powerful Monarch in the Material Realm.
Adrian lowered his head, staring at the beads of sweat falling from his chin onto the gleaming white stone tiles below. Inside, his mind churned with waves of Astonishment, Excitement, and something else—unexpected, inexplicable Joy.
How did he know my name?
He was merely a humble Baron in the Kingdom of Seleucus, a mere speck before the colossal Empire of Ashen. His domain couldn’t even stir a ripple in the vast ocean of this empire. And before a being who rivaled a Semi-God, his proud Paladin strength meant nothing—trivial, easily crushed like an ant beneath a giant’s foot.
Adrian couldn’t fathom why this Red Dragon Emperor, a being of such magnitude, would take notice of him—let alone summon him here.
“Rise,” said the Red Dragon Emperor, his voice cutting through Adrian’s thoughts. “Come.”
Before Adrian could even react, a force beyond resistance lifted him effortlessly from the ground, leaving no chance to resist. He looked up, stunned, to see the Emperor’s expression utterly calm, one clawed toe slightly raised.
Adrian stood frozen, stunned, speechless.
What kind of strength was that?
If this Emperor had turned hostile, a single press of that clawed toe would have reduced him to a pulp—Meat paste.
Not even a flicker of Rebellion dared to rise in the Paladin’s heart. The gap was too vast—like an ant facing a giant. They weren’t even on the same plane.
“Adrian,” Kai Xiusu spoke, his tone level, “I know you must be utterly confused by what’s happening now.”
“Don’t be tense. Ask anything you wish. Rest assured—I won’t kill you like those Five-Colored Dragons do.”
After a pause, Adrian finally asked the question that burned in his heart:
“Your Majesty… why do you aid us in resisting the Dragon Worship Church? After all, your Status…”
“After all, I am a Five-Colored Dragon myself,” Kai Xiusu chuckled, finishing the sentence for him, “and there’s even a rumor I’m the Dragon Prince. By all logic, I should be a follower of Tiamat, right?”
“Please forgive my insolence, Your Majesty,” Adrian said, bowing deeply, sweat pouring down his brow—especially at the mention of Tiamat, the name that sent a chill through his soul, making his breath falter.
“Don’t worry about it,” Kai Xiusu said, his voice calm. “Tell me—how did you find the Empire? What’s Isdalia like?”
Adrian recalled the scenes he’d witnessed—the bustling, vibrant, sprawling city that defied imagination. “I’ve never seen such a prosperous, massive city,” he said earnestly. “The innovations here leave me in awe.”
“The diversity of races—enemies in other lands—live side by side, in harmony, in order. To me, it’s unimaginable.”
The Red Dragon Emperor nodded in approval, then asked: “And what about the Dragon Worship Church’s leadership regions?”
Adrian’s expression darkened. He shook his head slowly, his voice heavy with sorrow. “It’s… unbearable.”
“There, the Five-Colored Dragons rule over all others. The Dragonborn dominate everyone except the Five-Colored. Laws? Rules? They’re meaningless.
“A full-grown dragon can stroll through the streets and swallow a human whole without hesitation. They break into noble homes, ransack treasures, and slaughter every living soul inside. I once watched a Green Dragon descend from the sky and consume a teenage Half-Elf girl.”
His voice trembled, shifting from grief to fury. “And the Church does nothing. They silence victims and witnesses, branding them Sinners for blaspheming the Deity.”
He took a deep breath, his eyes blazing with anguish. “And the Dragonborn? They act with total impunity. Kill a human? Pay three Silver Coins. But if a human accidentally offends them, they’ll gouge out an eye or cut off an arm—no consequence.”
“Every seven days, the faithful hold a Ritual, casting ‘sinners’ into the Altar or the Dragon Beast Breeding Grounds—offering them as sacrifices, food for the beasts. People scream, wail in agony… but it’s useless. They beg not to be chosen. Some even throw themselves into the Cult, just to survive.”
He exhaled slowly, his voice hollow. “I think… Hell couldn’t be worse.”
Kai Xiusu knew this all too well. In the narrow, cruel eyes of these tyrannical Five-Colored Dragon Lords, humans were no better than livestock—meat that could be eaten on a whim, not for hunger, but for the pleasure of hearing their cries, the thrill of destruction.
Tiamat wasn’t so short-sighted—but even He couldn’t control these evil dragons. And for Him, the only goal mattered: breaking free from Hell, descending into the Material Realm, claiming dominion over Feanso, and restoring the ancient glory of the Dragons.
Kai Xiusu tapped the ground with a claw, his voice firm. “That is why I differ from Tiamat. I wish to build a powerful, prosperous empire—my Great Blueprint.
“Human, Dwarf, Elf, Tiefling, Ogre—no matter your race, no matter your faith—if you serve the Empire, you are my people.”
“And Tiamat? He only wants to rule everything. To make the Five-Colored Dragons His nation, and enslave every other race. No—if the benefit is great enough, He’d abandon any Five-Colored Dragon without hesitation.”
Adrian was moved, his heart pounding. “Your Majesty… I’ve never met a Red Dragon like you.”
With a soft rumble, Kai Xiusu rose from On the Altar, his massive limbs bearing his body. His wings—vast, spanning the sky—unfolded, radiating a Gleaming Radiance.
Adrian and Rolf felt as though a mountain had risen from the earth, pressing down upon them with an Oppressive Pressure so intense it was almost unbearable. The Emperor’s shadow engulfed them completely.
Kai Xiusu, towering above them, stared down with eyes like molten gold. “I will never be Tiamat’s servant. The Empire of Ashen will never become a hunting ground for Five-Colored Dragons.
“Therefore—there is no choice. I must stand against the Dragon Worship Church. Against the Five-Colored Dragon Queen!”
Adrian, staring at the proud Red Dragon, felt absolute certainty. This Emperor—King Kai Xiusu—was undeniably noble, proud, and driven by a grand vision. His resolve to oppose the Mother of Monsters was undeniable.
In these few moments, Adrian had felt the Emperor’s Charisma—a force that could sway even the most steadfast soul.
Had he not already pledged his faith to the Amanatara Church, he might have drawn his sword on the spot, swearing Oath of Allegiance, becoming a proud Imperial Citizen.
Now, his heart raced with excitement.
At last, he knew one thing for certain: the Emperor of the Ashen Flame truly meant to fight the Dragon Worship Church with all his might.
With that, the Kingdom of Seleucus had found its last hope—its chance to escape the endless cycle of Wails, Cries, and bloodshed.
Taking a deep breath to calm his trembling mind, Adrian lifted his head and asked, his voice quiet but firm:
“Your Majesty… why me?”
Not just Adrian—Rolf, too, had been baffled. They’d debated endlessly before entering the Empire.
After all, in the face of such a Colossal Entity, their strength was negligible. Not even the Ember Legion, renowned across the continent, could be matched. And the Tiefling Patrol Units outside the city walls were more than enough to overwhelm them.
Why would the Emperor of the Ashen Flame seek them?
Kai Xiusu raised a massive claw, pointing directly at Adrian’s chest.
Instantly, a surge of golden light flared to life. On Adrian’s forehead, a sacred emblem appeared—a sun-like face at the center of a radiant ring, the symbol of the Amanatara Church.
“Is this…?” Adrian gasped, his body flooded with warmth. A golden glow enveloped him, lifting him gently into the air.
“By Amanata above! Is this the will of the Sun God?” Adrian’s eyes sparkled with awe, his voice trembling with emotion.
Kai Xiusu’s voice echoed softly: “In the Folly of the Arrogant, the Sun God has slept for ages. But you—chosen by the Angel who now guards the Eternal Radiance Keep—are to become the Church’s salvation. Or rather… one of its Saints.”
In the original timeline, Paladin Adrian was known as the Fearless Knight Cloaked in Sunlight.
During a battle, his entire unit was annihilated. Hundreds of Cultists, dozens of Dragon Beasts surrounded him—trapped in a Death-Defying Situation. Yet, in that moment, he awakened the Power of the Sun God, breaking through alone.
From then on, he led the Rebellion against the Dragon Worship Cult, raising the Sacred Fedran Banner, uniting the Metal Dragon Race, Heaven’s Mountain, and the Kingdom of Cassander—becoming the greatest obstacle to Tiamat’s descent.
But Kai Xiusu excelled at turning Success into Opportunity, ensuring he gained the greatest reward when securing key allies.
The golden light faded. Adrian, still half-kneeling, spoke with reverence:
“Your Majesty… thank you for awakening the Divine Power Seed within me. I’ve felt once more the Bestowal of King Amanatara—”
“Your Majesty,” Adrian suddenly paused, his voice tightening.
Before him stood the Emperor of the Ashen Flame, the man who had Annihilated the Thrace Kingdom, seized City of Dawn, and slain “King of Angels” Wilhelm.
What was his true stance toward the Amanatara Church?
Kai Xiusu shook his head, smiling faintly. “You’re thinking of the Thrace Kingdom, aren’t you? It seems the rumors and misunderstandings about me… are hard to dispel.”
He leaned forward slightly, his gaze piercing. “Do you truly believe… I destroyed the Thrace Kingdom?”
“I reside in the south,” Adrian said, voice tense, sweat dripping from his brow. “I’ve not seen the truth. I cannot judge.”
With a snap of his claw, Kai Xiusu summoned a vast Magical Image, hanging in the air before Adrian.
In it, a black sun blazed in the sky. Countless armored Devils, like a storm of dark clouds, gathered over cracked earth, from which chains of flame writhed upward.
There, before the cursed sun, stood King Wilhelm—his pitch-black wings spread, his face monstrous, his crimson eyes wild with madness.
And opposite him—the Red Dragon Emperor, standing tall, wings spread wide, the sun behind him—a red sun, held aloft by the dragon, pouring down a Ten-Thousand-Foot Golden Light upon the earth.
In that vision, Kai Xiusu was the embodiment of Justice, the true Avatar of the Sun God.
Wilhelm—once a noble king—was now revealed as a Demon from Hell, a fallen angel of sin.
“This… this is impossible!” Adrian whispered, stunned, his mind reeling.
How could Wilhelm—son of Aragon I, heir of Divine Blood—become such a monster?
Kai Xiusu sighed softly. “I once shared a Longstanding Divine Connection with Wilhelm. For years, our nations lived in peace. But…
“He fell to Hellish Temptation. He made a pact with Zaril, trading ten million souls for power—turning the entire city of August into a Soul Pasture for Hell.”
“I did not wish to fight him,” Kai Xiusu said, his voice heavy. “But I could not stand by while such a tragedy unfolded. So, with Heartfelt Reluctance, I led my Imperial Army to war—Punishing in the Name of the King of Amannata—that mad monarch, blinded by power.”
(End of Chapter)
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