At the very front of the viewing platform stood a row of people.
Standing at the very center, wearing a dazzling crown and a magnificent royal robe, with a dignified yet smug smile on his face, was none other than the King of Aetheran! He was opening his arms as if to embrace this glorious moment that belonged to him.
Right next to the king on his right was a young man. Tall and imposing, his short, golden hair shimmered in the sunlight, and his handsome face radiated excitement, pride, and unwavering conviction in the triumph of justice. He wore a well-tailored suit of gleaming silver armor trimmed with gold, like a legendary hero!
This is Crown Prince Elias! He leaned forward slightly, his eyes gleaming, with the air of a complete victor, staring directly at the "dying" black dragon in the sunlight below, as if examining a prize to be proud of.
Beside them stood the dignified and elegant queen, along with the kingdom's high-ranking officials, archmages, and paladin leaders, each with a proud smile and a sense of relief on their faces.
The king cleared his throat, and the magical amplification effect instantly drowned out the clamor, his voice echoing clearly throughout the entire cavern, filled with inflammatory power and hypocritical compassion:
"Loyal subjects of Aetheran! Distinguished guests!"
He paused, basking in the attention and silence of the entire room, then pointed to the massive black shadow in the sunlight below:
"Today! We gather here! Bathed in divine light!"
"Together, we will witness the end of a dark chapter in history!"
"Let us witness together the ultimate victory of justice and courage!"
"Many years ago, this evil dragon named Nidhogg, with its overwhelming ferocity, ravaged our land, poisoned our lives, and brought endless fear and despair!"
His voice was melodious and full of emotion:
"But! The courage of Aetheran never yielded! Our heroes! Our fearless warriors! Supported by the kingdom's strongest backing, they paid the price with their blood and lives! Finally! Here! In this crypt that symbolizes the evil lair of the dragons! This wicked dragon was utterly defeated! Captured!"
The cheers erupted once more like thunder! The king raised his hand in satisfaction, suppressing the roar, and continued his performance:
"Look! This once invincible and terrifying being!"
"Now! It can only be bound here by the chains of justice!"
"Its power! It has been transformed by great magic into the cornerstone protecting our royal capital!"
Its ferocity has long been extinguished in this eternal imprisonment!
"Its life is about to irretrievably wither away!"
The king's voice suddenly rose, filled with passionate and undeniable power:
"Today! We are not only celebrating the end of a dragon!"
"Today! We cheer for the eternal power of the Kingdom of Aetheran! For the everlasting peace that our descendants will enjoy!"
"The remains of this monstrous dragon will no longer be meaningless decay!"
"It will be given a completely new and sacred meaning!"
"It will stand as a monument! A—"
The king opened his arms wide, his face beaming with the most radiant and infectious smile, his voice booming like a bell, resounding throughout the entire hall:
"A monument symbolizing the eternal power and peace of my kingdom, Aetheran!"
"monument!"
"monument!"
"Eternal power! Eternal peace!"
The fervent cheers reached their peak instantly! Like a tsunami, they swept across the entire space! People waved their arms, tears welling in their eyes, as if they had seen an incredibly bright future!
At that very moment, the words "Monument" exploded like a thunderclap!
At the height of the cheers and deafening applause!
At the very peak of the king's glory, arms outstretched!
Below, in the sunlight, lay the massive, decaying body of a black dragon, as if it were utterly dead—
Those huge, half-closed, cloudy, and dim dragon eyes suddenly snapped open!
Within those golden vertical pupils, the flame that burned was no longer the flame of life, but a chilling, destructive will that had accumulated a century of imprisonment, a century of humiliation, and a century of hatred. Like the coldest light in the abyss, it pierced through the dust and sunlight, locking onto the face at the very front of the viewing platform, a face radiating the glory of a victor!
Those gazes, like two icy swords piercing the abyss of hell, penetrated the pervasive dust and blinding sunlight, fixing with unparalleled precision on Crown Prince Elias's radiant face! They also swept over every frozen smile on the faces at the front of the viewing platform!
Time seemed to stretch out infinitely at this moment.
The cheers continued, but they seemed to be separated by a thick layer of glass, becoming blurry and distant.
The king's smile froze, his arms still outstretched, but his eyes instantly shifted from disdain and smugness to utter astonishment and a hint of bewilderment.
The queen covered her mouth.
The smiles on the faces of the high-ranking officials froze.
Crown Prince Elias felt as if his heart had been gripped tightly by a cold dragon's claw! That gaze... it wasn't the gaze of a dying man! It was... judgment! A gaze from the abyss!
"It...it opened its eyes?!" A mage who was closer to the gate was the first to see the scene below because of the angle, and screamed in terror, his voice distorted and broken by extreme fear!
The scream, like a drop of water thrown into boiling oil, instantly shattered the eerie silence!
"What?!"
"Impossible! It should have died long ago!"
"Quick! Activate defense! Highest defense!" The viewing platform erupted in chaos! Exclamations, commands, and panic mingled together!
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