Imperial Capital, Palace.
"Minister, it's so terrifying…"
On the throne, a seven or eight-year-old boy holding a scepter looked in the direction of the earth-shaking roar with a pale face, trembling in fear.
"Your Majesty, you must not be afraid! You are now the emperor of this empire, the supreme ruler. Nothing should frighten you."
"Rest assured, this is the heavens applauding Your Majesty's ascension to the throne, a sign that you will become a wise and illustrious emperor."
Beside the young boy, an obese man chewing on a piece of meat spoke with a strange glint in his eyes as he tore into the meat.
"Ah, really…"
"Yes, with the minister's help, I will surely become a wise emperor and protect this thousand-year-old empire!"
With stars in his eyes, the young boy looked at the obese man who had helped him rise above the other heirs and ascend to the throne with almost blind trust and dependence. Gripping the scepter, he spoke with determination.
"That's right, Your Majesty is truly wise."
A sly smile crossed the obese man's face as he praised the young emperor.
On the other side of the throne, a man clad in majestic armor stood like an invincible war god, watching the naive emperor and the cunning minister with a deep sigh, worried about the fate of the nation.
Following his ancestral teachings that military officials must not interfere in politics, the man said nothing, but his gaze turned towards the northern part of the empire, his eyes filled with deep apprehension.
…
Western Kingdom, Temple of Sacrifice.
"Your Holiness, the news has been confirmed. It comes from the Eastern Empire."
A guardian knight in golden armor knelt on one knee, speaking with utmost respect to the young woman above him.
"So it is true, the prophecy of turmoil in the Eastern Empire…"
"Pass down the order: the kingdom will sever all ties with the Eastern Empire and seal the borders. We must not let the empire's chaos affect our people!"
In the temple, beneath a massive golden statue, a veiled young woman wearing a golden crown addressed the holy knights below.
The young woman, appearing to be only seventeen or eighteen years old, exuded an aura of holiness. Her graceful figure, stunning beauty, and long golden hair that reached the ground, combined with her melodious voice, even caused the steadfast guardian knights to feel a hint of intoxication.
"Yes, Your Holiness!"
The guardian knight, snapping out of his reverie, replied with deep respect and quickly retreated.
"The roar that echoes across the continent, the bloodshed that stains the heavens and earth. Oh Lord, please protect your people."
With her hands clasped together, the young woman prayed devoutly to the golden statue.
…
Northern Border of the Empire, Territory of the Partas Clan.
"So amazing, Father! So amazing!"
A girl of about eleven or twelve years old, with ice-blue hair and eyes, pointed excitedly at the distant figure floating in the air, letting out a roar that shook the heavens and earth.
"Yes, it's unbelievable. Such a powerful dangerous creature exists in this world!"
The man, with the same hair and eye color, replied with a tone of deep fear and relief.
They were a clan specialized in hunting dangerous creatures, and even when facing legendary super-dangerous creatures, the man had never been so apprehensive. But this time…
"I can't wait! I must hunt that dangerous creature!"
Though only eleven or twelve years old, the girl was trembling with excitement at the sight of the creature that had struck fear into the entire continent. Her eyes shone with determination.
"Then, Esdeath, you must strive to become the strongest!"
The man smiled as he patted the girl's head.
"Yes!!!"
Nodding repeatedly, the seed of becoming the strongest had already been planted in the girl's heart.
Meanwhile, in the southern islands, the northern frozen lands, and the eastern island nations, countless ethnic groups were prostrate on the ground, trembling and worshiping the being that had shaken their very souls.
…
"Whoo!!!"
Sora, clad in the divine artifact "Demon Armor," was completely unaware that he had done something that had shaken the entire continent. Flapping his enormous dragon-like wings, he soared freely through the skies.
His earlier frustration was gone, and as he overtook one flying dangerous creature after another, Sora felt an indescribable sense of exhilaration.
Flying over mountains and piercing through clouds, Sora looked down at the lush, vibrant world below, filled with the bloody struggle of survival but also brimming with natural vitality. He couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation.
This world is truly fascinating!
"Huh? Why do I feel a bit dizzy…"
Still enjoying the thrill of free flight, Sora suddenly noticed that his vision was blurring, and his head was spinning.
"Oh no, this is bad!"
Realizing something, Sora was startled and quickly tried to control the dragon wings to stop.
The divine artifact placed a tremendous burden on the body. Just like the original "Demon Armor," which would kill an ordinary person upon wearing it due to the unbearable strain, even though it had now evolved into a divine artifact after being absorbed by the King's Sword, the burden was still too much for him to handle casually!
Damn it! I was so caught up in the fun that I completely forgot about this. By the time Sora realized it, it was already too late!
As if all his strength had been drained, the dragon wings could no longer support his weight, and from hundreds of meters in the air, he plummeted straight down!
"Ah…"
Boom!!!
Dust flew everywhere, scaring off countless birds. Sora's body created a massive crater over ten meters wide before finally coming to a stop.
"Cough, cough, my back…"
With a painful groan, a dusty and disheveled figure climbed to his feet. It was none other than our dear Sora.
Fortunately, thanks to the super defensive abilities of the "Demon Armor," otherwise, he would have become the first strategist to die from a fall!
"Damn it, with this broken body, I can't even afford to wear armor. I need to train! I need to get stronger!!"
Roaring at the sky, he felt an endless sense of frustration. Clearly, he possessed such a powerful divine weapon, yet he was so weak. The feeling of having something but not being able to use it was utterly unbearable!
Thus, our Sora decided that he must train, train, and train some more. He wouldn't leave until he became a peerless master!
"Roar!!!"
Perhaps thinking someone was trying to take his territory, Sora's roar was immediately answered by a massive roar from a dangerous creature not far away.
"Damn you, keep roaring. One day, I'll eat you!"
He cursed inwardly, but Sora didn't dare to cause trouble on someone else's turf. Patience brings peace, and stepping back opens up new horizons. He would wait until he had trained a bit more before seeking revenge.
With endless bitterness and a vow of vengeance, our Sora limped away into the forest, embarking on his journey of cultivation…