The meeting started off as promised, and three hundred members were gathered in the hall. In the past, the council members would get into a big fight to gain more profit for their faction, but an eerie silence took over them this time.The council members looked stiff and unnerved. Some even had bruises on their faces. Everyone looked at the man in a white suit in the first row. He was facing them, and behind him were Ebony Skeleton warriors in a mask.This man was none other than Dickson, Elizabeth's uncle. He should've been an old man in his seventies, but time didn't seem to take a toll on him. He looked like he was in his twenties. This was all thanks to the Assad gods. They had used Mystian magic to return a man to his youth."We have news, Your Majesty. Princess Snowden has arrived in the capital, and her fleet is going on a parade. The people are cheering for her, welcoming her into the capital," said an Ebony Skeleton warrior.Dickson swirled his glass, and a hint of red
Their words pleased Harley, but he was a smart man. He knew words that came out of a sycophant's mouth couldn't be taken seriously. "They're up to something, but our orders are to keep Elizabeth safe, so we're doing just that."Listen up, my master is going to settle his score with you guys sooner or later, but do a good job, and you might just be spared. I'll put in a good word, and he might just give us a bit more cream from the cake of Brundela. Then, I'll have settled my score as well," said Harley.The underlings knew what he meant. Harley was the one who could decide their fate when Nox came back to settle their scores. When Harley told them to do a good job, they made up their minds to fight to the death. Nox would face most of the enemy's firepower, of course.Nox alone could deal with most of the enemies, and the rest was nothing. Thus, they could go all out.Vermilion Bird was on the move while the Ice Temple gods were setting up their defenses for the fight in the counci
'Order? What order?' James had seen how powerful gods could be, and only Faeast's troops could handle them."Retreat!" he shouted, and the secret agents fell into chaos. Suddenly, countless armored knights came barging into the graveyard."The Twilight Order! It's the holy knights!" James recognized these knights. The leader of the knights nodded at him."I need you to stay back and make a record of everything that's happened here. The world must know that demons exist, and the holy knights have always been at war with them. We have been acting as Brundela's guardians for hundreds of years."The holy knight unsheathed his weapon, and he unleashed halos of golden light. The aura the leader radiated took on a hint of holiness. The other knights took out their swords as well. The leader told them these were holy swords blessed by holy energy. Many demons had been slain by it. An aura of holiness enveloped the graveyard and kept the darkness down. James and his team calmed down. They
A lucky few reacted fast enough and ran out of the museum before the exits were closed. They started live streaming and told their viewers what they had just gone through. The Internet exploded, and everyone tuned into the livestreams.Brundela's people found out about the incident, and the world was quick to catch up. The streets were filled with people, and they could hear screams of despair coming from the museum. They brought their hands to their mouths, horror filling their eyes. The air of terror was infecting them.The cops were here, but their superiors told them to cordon off the museum. The secret agents arrived shortly thereafter and ushered the people into safer areas. The disgruntled crowd demanded to know why these people weren't saving the victims.They thought this event was caused by a gas leak and a poisonous one at that. Their minds told them to leave, but their hearts told them to stay and check things out. They wanted to know what was going on inside.Then, a
A ball of black energy came flying through a wall and ate through the cars parked by the road. The knights, who were still flexing until a moment ago, froze. They were cultivators, but they only had the power and strength, unlike Faeast's cultivators.Thus, they did not possess the techniques or skills that could utilize their strength to its utmost.The knights tried to stop this energy with their bodies, but they melted into puddles. Even their armor, all mystical artifacts, melted away as well. The blessed runes were useless against this energy.The knights retreated hastily, and the crowd once again fell into chaos."Nox Technique!" The generals and Shadow Division leaders quickly activated their techniques and kept the spreading energy at bay. Shadow Division leaders and higher-ranked members knew manuals, and the Nox Army had manuals that came from Nox as well. They were on par with Mystia's manuals.The crowd and viewers couldn't believe their eyes. This was the power of
"I could've stopped it before the formation came to be, but the mediums have been activated, and destroying the relics won't do anything. I'll have to locate the control center to destroy the formation."You guys were bandits in the past, but your ancestors had a good eye for mystical artifacts. They took nothing but the best." Nox's lips curled with distaste.Elizabeth wasn't too sure what Nox was talking about, but she realized the Assad gods were using the museum's relics to cast a Celestial technique. "Should we…""No. It's past that point, so leave it to the other guys. We just have to focus on our job."Black Tortoise said telepathically, "We may enter now, milord.""Let's go."Black Tortoise opened the car's door, and Elizabeth was escorted into the council hall. Nox trailed behind the team. The council members gasped when Elizabeth appeared.'She's here! She's going to get herself killed! Does she really think she can take the throne just because she has Coleman's suppor
No one said a word. They thought with disbelief, 'So this is a god? This isn't a negotiation. He is giving us an order.'Dickson growled, "You have no right to choose Brundela's ruler, false god!" His face was contorted with rage, and he was glaring at the Ice Temple Lord. There was envy and jealousy in his eyes.Dickson's dream was to become a real god. Being a ruler was no longer fulfilling enough for him. He wanted to live forever, enslave billions, and control the fate of a whole nation."How dare you question me, maggot! I am not choosing Brundela's ruler! I have decided that she shall be its queen! You dare disobey a god, maggot?"A pillar of incredible energy came falling out of the sky, and the hall shook. It almost felt like Armageddon was here, and everyone's heart pumped. The wave of energy hit Dickson, and he was nothing but mincemeat a moment later.The council members gasped. 'The tyrant is gone?'Suddenly, a beastly roar echoed in the air. The Yin spirit granted by
Two cultivators were fighting in mid-air, while the other Ice Temple cultivators made an invisible barrier to keep them in, or the council hall would be destroyed from the impact of the fight.The battle was awe-inspiring, and Dickson became smug. So what if his enemy was a leader of gods? Perhaps he was no match for one, but the Assad gods could easily destroy him if a slave could fight him for a prolonged period.Ice Temple's Lord realized that Dickson couldn't feel pain as the essence had nearly devoured his spirit. He was nothing if not feral, and he did not fear death at all. A brilliant idea appeared in his mind. He could create an army of fearless gods if he could get his hands on this technique.Nox said telepathically, "How much longer are you going to take? He's just a useless tribute. Do you honestly want to keep this up until he burns himself away?"Ice Temple's Lord's pupils contracted, and he looked at Nox. Nox looked up from his book. The Ice Temple Lord thought th
The talismans were Magic Mountain's Forbidden Art, and Nox had fused them with Ultimate Sun Dragon Manual. Nox's mentors back in Mystia had taught him the Sovereign Seal earlier than expected.Their goal was simple. If Nox became the Sovereign, he could use the seal to command all the natural energy around him. If he didn't become the Sovereign, he would teach the Sovereign how to use the seal.The Sovereign Seal was a Saintly technique and the most ancient technique around. It was stronger than a Celestial technique.A golden seal brighter than the sun slowly rose into the air. It was the Sovereign Seal.As it appeared, natural energy gathered around it. The energy flew into the relics Brundela took from Faeast. Within a museum not open to the public, a bronze sword started to tremble as natural energy flowed into it. That got the attention of a professor."That sword belonged to Faeast's Emperor Elijah! What is going on?"A silhouette came out of the sword, and his aura was maj
Back in the navy command center, Fergus got the drone footage of Brundela's latest development. There were a few generals from the Nox Army with him. They could see that the monsters in the capital were far stronger than the ones they took out."It's a pity the capital is too densely populated. We have the weapons, but we can't use them." Fergus slammed the table in frustration. Even if the capital were to fall into enemy hands and the people torn apart by the monsters, Fergus could not order his men to fire at the capital, or things would be bad for them.Fergus could only open fire if the monsters were in a no man's land."Commander Parrish, the lord has orders. We are to keep the waters guarded. Once the capital's crisis is over, we are to make our way to the port and give humanitarian aid," a Nox Army general said telepathically. He just got Nox's orders."Is that so? Then Nox can stop this crisis." Fergus' eyes shone. He had no idea what Nox was planning, but he was the Sovere
Demons were walking the lands of Brundela. Legendary creatures were roaming the streets as if the end of days were here. The resurrected monsters were causing chaos everywhere. When the Titans showed themselves, despair washed over Brundela.There were too many monsters running around. Even after the Twilight Order and Ice Temple cultivators sent out everyone they had, it still wasn't enough to stop these creatures. The monsters went straight to the council hall, and so did the Titans.The Ice Temple Lord created a Magic Ice Formation and kept using Forbidden Arts and mystical artifacts to fend off the enemies. He had already done his best."You have to do something, Nine-State Lord. I can't hold on much longer!" the Ice Temple Lord said telepathically.Though monsters were about, they were not a threat to the Ice Temple Lord. he could leave anytime he wanted, but he had a deal with Nox. If he were to desert the battlefield, he would face a hell far worse than he could imagine late
Their targets were the relics around the altars. The moment the whirlpool showed up, the black energy conjured black walls and kept Brundela on lockdown, cutting off all communications.Possessed by evil spirits, gods from ancient civilizations came back to life. In the underground graveyard, the dead came bursting out of their coffins, and skeletons with phantom flames flickering around them charged at the holy knights and James' secret agents.Nothing more needed to be said. The holy knights' leader led the charge. The other knights resolved to fight to the death as they battled the skeleton gods.James and his secret agents fired off at the enemies, but the bullets did nothing to the skeletons. All they managed was to light a big spark. Only grenades and howitzers could deal damage to them, and even then, the damage was light.The battle was fierce. Though the knights did not fear death, they were still weaker than the prehistoric gods. These skeletons were nigh invincible, and
Nox was hovering higher than the Ice Temple Lord, and he got everyone's attention."Who's that?""It's a Faeastian!""My God, it's the Nine-State Lord!" Nox was known throughout Faeast and the world. Brundela's council members had recognized him the moment he showed up. They had nothing but fear for gods, yet Nox was the strongest man in the Mortal World, so they respected him.The clouds in Brundela's skies were hanging heavily over the ground, and the icy aura they radiated was making everyone shiver. Winter seemed to have come early for Brundela. The temperature was dipping fast.Back in the control center, intelligence agents were watching the surveillance footage closely, and they noticed the altar. The Twilight Order and Ice Temple cultivators were there, strengthening the altars' seal the best they could. There were soldiers guarding the altar as well.For some reason, the secret agents had a feeling something bad was going to happen. Murphy's Law, as they said.Suddenly,
A sliver of energy flew out of the puppet and gathered natural energy around it. Then, the temperature rose at a blistering rate. Fortunately, Bard's reminder came just in time, and Vermilion Bird was prepared for this. She led her team away from the spot.A pillar of fire engulfed the building, and heat waves shot off in every direction, lethal and deadly. The light eventually faded, and all buildings in a few hundred yards were razed to the ground.If Vermilion Bird had killed the puppet without thinking just now, she would have lost all her men and suffered serious injuries. "That bitch! I'm going to make her into a human swine one day! I'll give her hell!" she cursed.Bard gasped. 'Yeah, women can be really terrifying.' Not one General was a normal person.This incident didn't escape Nox, of course. He saw it through his divine sense. "Heh, you can't fight the flow of history? You say that, Aphrodite, but you've done the same thing more than once. Schemes and plots when your ey
Aphrodite was a master manipulator. She knew the weaknesses of Nox's underlings, and she praised Bard, "At least you know where you stand, Bard. You never overreach. Though we failed to make you one of us, I still thought it'd be a shame to kill you."Bard smiled. "Oh, you're such an actor, Ms. Mousse. You know why we don't like you? Queenie is a genuine lady, just like our lord. You're far inferior to her. And don't flatter yourself. Of course, I know where I stand. I can't even reach the pinnacle of martial arts, let alone cultivation."No matter how smart I am, my lack of talents holds me back. I can never be made an important leader." He was only spared because he couldn't become a threat to the Mousses.Nox didn't use schemes because he didn't need them. Absolute power could trump any plot.Vermilion Bird clenched her teeth. "What is the meaning of this? The lord knows that the bitch is here?"Bard shook his head. Vermilion Bird was a smart woman, but Aphrodite made her lose
Aphrodite felt nothing but sorrow, and Vermilion Bird burst into laughter. "I expected nothing less from these people. Your men are just like their employers. Hey, knights, you guys want to find out more about Faeast martial arts? See those Mousse guys? They're masters. Deal with them."Vermilion Bird gave her orders. She knew these people would escape the moment she showed up. The knights flew off, going after the escaped Mousses. The Mousses were a family of warriors, while these knights were cultivators, to an extent. They wore mystical artifacts, and the Mousses' guys didn't have something like that.The battle was fierce but short. The Mousses' powerhouses were taken out, and the rest were dealt with by the Shadow Division."And now only you're left. Interesting, isn't it? Karma always bites you in the ass. You betrayed my lord, and now your men betray you. You deserve this," Vermilion Bird cursed."Yes, I deserve this, but as long as he wants to be the Nine-State Lord, then w
'The beating heart of this land?' The woman's underlings looked grim. They were supposed to be the master tacticians here. Yet, Nox played them like a cheap kazoo. 'He's a far better tactician than we expected!'Nox began his counterattack not long after the Ocean of Death incident. This woman was none other than Aphrodite, Nox's old flame. When she saw Brundela's fate stabilizing, she knew right then that things had gotten out of her hands."Tell the Mousses in Eropa to retreat right away. There is no need to stay here any longer. He's not attacking us because he's waiting for us to do the same. The moment our men try to start anything, he'll swoop in and take them all out. "No one can beat him if he decides to go all the way. Not even me," said Aphrodite.Suddenly, the Mousses' powerhouse noticed something. "I sense bloodlust. Who goes there? Show yourself!" The powerhouses unsheathed their weapons and stood around Aphrodite, protecting her.A group of black silhouettes appeare