After resolving the issue with Tarhe, Richard arrived beneath the canopy of the World Mushroom. This area was the "sacred domain" of the Holy Tree Sprite; apart from the holy city built by the Holy Tree Sprite, there were no other structures, not even the flower buds of the Holy Tree Sprite had been left behind.
In the nest at the center of the holy city, a black crow was soundly asleep.
Ulysses had made a misjudgment years ago; he had predicted a sleep of only a few years, but now he had been asleep for nearly thirty years.
During these thirty years, the energy fluctuations within Ulysses had been continuously rising. According to Richard's predictions, today, Ulysses's internal energy would reach the limit of a level three creature.
If he did not wake up at this critical juncture, Richard could only prepare for the worst—Ulysses might very well sleep until he became the World Master.
Watching the black crow before him, whose energy fluctuations were gradually intensifying, all Richard could do was pray and wait. Given that Ulysses was also a "god," Richard chose to wait.
Buzz! A violent wave of energy surged from Ulysses, instantly stirring a magical breeze in the Secret Realm.
In an instant, a vision suddenly appeared before Richard.
A terrifying beast, pitch black, roared towards the sky, its voice nearly shattering the space around it. It spread its wings, and under the shadow of its vast wings, countless black crows surged forth, engulfing the entire sky like the night.
"Is this... Ulysses?"
Richard looked at the terrifying beast in the vision, a flicker of shock passing through his heart.
Indeed, every World Master was a fearsome creature.
As the vision gradually faded from Richard's sight, he felt a weight on his shoulder, and Ulysses's raspy voice suddenly rang in his ear.
"Quack, that was a really comfortable sleep; I feel much better now."
"Is that so?" Richard suppressed his excitement and replied calmly, "You've been asleep for a full thirty years; I almost thought you would sleep until your injuries healed."
"Quack, thirty years!?" Ulysses exclaimed in astonishment.
"Then you must have finished the war!"
"Pretty much. The last Fire Lizard King has just been driven away; he probably won't return to the Crimson Sun World in this lifetime. Once we clean up the remaining Fire Lizard resistance in the Crimson Sun World, this war will be over."
"Quack, that was fast! You Wizards are quite efficient."
Ulysses was surprised by the speed at which the Wizards dealt with the Fire Lizard King, but before he could finish his astonishment, the changes in the Secret Realm shocked him again.
"Quack, why are there so many Fire Lizards in the Secret Realm? Did you raise them?"
Ulysses looked at Richard, his face showing three parts embarrassment and seven parts shamelessness.
"Quack, you're too polite; just let the old mushroom help you keep them. Why are you raising them?"
Listening to Ulysses's brazen words, Richard couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.
"These aren't for you to eat; they are my employees I've gathered over the years, all skilled talents!"
Ulysses looked a bit disappointed: "Quack, I thought you were preparing a surprise for me."
However, his disappointment didn't last long, as the next moment, the World Mushroom transmitted a mental message to Ulysses.
Richard still remembered Ulysses's words.
Although he had been capturing slaves all these years, he had kept the heads of the Fire Lizards he killed and handed them over to the World Mushroom.
The number of these heads was enough for Ulysses to have a good feast.
"Quack, that's quite generous! I'll go have a good meal first."
Richard nodded: "Go ahead, but remember to come out afterward; I need you to protect me to a certain place."
"Quack, no problem at all."
...
The defeat of Fire Lizard King Morik was undoubtedly a huge blow to the Fire Lizard resistance. The Fire Lizards had managed to hold on until now mainly because Morik had not returned.
Now that Morik had fled, the Fire Lizard clan had lost all hope of expelling the Wizards.
In the Yajilit Mountains of the Minal Empire, the remaining high-ranking members of the Fire Lizard Empire looked at the sky with ashen faces.
Although they had anticipated this possibility in their hearts, seeing it unfold before their eyes made them realize that their faith was not enough to support them in accepting this outcome.
Pfft!
A Fire Lizard general swung his sword and severed his own neck, the splattering blood staining the surrounding Fire Lizards red.
Harash lowered his head expressionlessly and said in a flat voice:
"Everyone go back; there's nothing more to see."
After saying this, Harash walked into the cave behind him without looking back.
Deep in the cave, the expressionless Azuhan was waiting for his father in the conference room.
Rumble...
The stone door of the conference room was pushed open, and Harash calmly walked into the room, then closed the stone door behind him. At the moment the door closed, Harash seemed to lose his support, collapsing heavily to the ground.
He propped himself up with his arms, but they trembled uncontrollably.
The Fire Lizard was finished.
Azuhan walked over and helped his father up from the ground.
"How is the Princess?" Harash suddenly asked.
Azuhan shook his head: "She is asleep and unaware of the situation outside."
Azuhan helped Harash to the nearest chair, feeling his father's body trembling incessantly.
In the chair, Harash's gaze was vacant, his expression dazed; Azuhan had never seen his father look like this before.
Azuhan sat down across from Harash, his own heart equally anxious. The Fire Lizard clan had lost all hope; all that remained was a struggle for survival and a future of extinction.
"Father, let's activate the Ember Plan."
"… Let's activate it."
Harash stood up again, and several Fire Lizard generals pushed the door open and entered.
Seeing Harash, one general exclaimed nervously:
"Marshal, the Fire Lizards below are uncontrollable; they want to fight the Wizards to the death."
The remaining resistance fighters were the elite of the Fire Lizard, the most stubborn "freedom fighters."
They would rather die than live as slaves to the Wizards.
Now that the hope of expelling the Wizards had completely vanished, this group of somewhat crazed Fire Lizards could only envision the best outcome as dying gloriously on the battlefield.
"Okay, I understand. Tell them not to act yet; I will personally lead them into battle shortly."
"Ah!" The two Fire Lizard generals looked at Harash in shock, not expecting such a response.
"Marshal, you..."
Harash looked at the two Fire Lizard generals before him and asked flatly, "Is there a problem?"
One general spoke up: "Marshal, they can give up; you must not give up! His Majesty Morik is not dead yet; we still have hope..."
Pfft! A massive amount of blood gushed from the severed neck of the Fire Lizard general, and Harash held the general's head, looking expressionlessly at the other general.
"Do you have any more questions?"
The remaining general was so frightened that he kept retreating, his face pale, his mouth opening and closing but unable to utter a word.
Harash had gone mad! He had killed a Fire Lizard general over a disagreement! Harash walked over to him, his tone incredibly calm as he said:
"If there are no problems, then carry out the orders."
The Fire Lizard general nodded frantically and fled the conference room.
Azuhan approached Harash and quietly asked, "Father, have you made your decision?"
Although Azuhan's gaze was calm, the pleading in his eyes did not escape Harash's notice.
Azuhan hoped he would change his mind.
"Azuhan, you have grown up."
Harash, just like when Azuhan was a child, ruffled Azuhan's hair affectionately.
"Adults need to stand on their own and bear those responsibilities.
I am already an old thing; there are some responsibilities I can no longer bear, nor do I wish to.
Moreover, the new world needs seeds; an old thing like me would only be a hindrance."
Harash spoke with a light tone, as if he had shed a heavy burden. He looked at Azuhan, a look of satisfaction on his face.
But Azuhan lowered his head, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Azuhan, adults cannot cry, especially not adults who are leaders!"
Harash's voice suddenly became stern, just as he had taught Azuhan in the past.
Azuhan raised his head, his golden Dragon Eyes tinged with blood, the sadness within them as deep as the ocean.
Harash's expression turned serious:
"Azuhan, the future of the Fire Lizard is entrusted to you. No matter what methods you use, even if you have to ally with the Wizards and become the most despicable traitor!
You must ensure the continuation of the Fire Lizard clan! Now I want you to tell me, do you have this resolve?"
Azuhan choked back tears:
"I do!"
"Very good."
Harash smiled with satisfaction, patting Azuhan's shoulder, his voice filled with hope and blessing: "The future of the Fire Lizard is entrusted to you."
Azuhan watched as Harash strode out of the conference room, his steps light as if he were being summoned by the Fire Lizard King once again.
That year, he had transformed from a Dragon Warrior into a Silverhorn Noble, defeating the genius general Barashar of the Linksa Empire on the battlefield.
That day, Harash had also been like this, walking lightly, a smile on his face.
Azuhan stood in place, watching his father's figure gradually disappear at the end of the cave.
He knew that this farewell was a final farewell.
Then, he turned and left the conference room from the other side.
...
Records of the Crimson Sun World Expedition:
Three days after Fire Lizard King Morik was expelled by the Frost Grand Wizard and Hellfire Grand Wizard, the Fire Lizard resistance hidden in the Yajilit Mountains launched a desperate battle.
In this battle, the Fire Lizard side was commanded by the former Marshal of the Morik Empire, Harash, resulting in the deaths of one thousand five hundred seventy-two Wizards, with all Fire Lizards on their side perishing, with no survivors or captives.
This battle marked the end of the Crimson Sun World Expedition, which had now been incorporated into the great Wizard Language's territory.
...
On the edge of the Yajilit Mountains, in an underground lava lake alongside a sea of lava.
On the lava lake, a massive metallic construct, resembling a golden shuttle, floated quietly. Then, several Fire Lizards dressed in what looked like spacesuits emerged from the sea of lava.
One of them removed the strange outfit, revealing the Morik's Shield uniform underneath.
He quickly walked to the side of a Fire Lizard on the shore and whispered a report:
"Lord Azuhan, the New World fleet has been debugged."
Azuhan nodded slightly: "I understand."
He turned to glance in the direction of the desperate battle, his voice barely audible:
"Father, farewell forever."
The nearby Fire Lizard did not catch Azuhan's words and quickly asked, "What did you say, my lord?"
Azuhan shook his head: "Nothing, inform the Ember to board the ship.
We are heading to the New World!"
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