The Pyrrhic victory at the Spark Base was like throwing a block of ice into a boiling oil pan, briefly suppressing the boiling but making the internal energy even more restless.
The destructive will of Tiolantis, which covered the sky, receded like the tide, leaving behind not complete silence, but a chilling calm that seemed to precede a storm.
The fluctuations of the magic network became unusually "gentle," as if forcibly smoothed out by an invisible hand. But beneath this gentleness lay a deeper, brewing unknown storm.
Invisible ice crystals seemed to be condensed in the air, and every breath carried a faint stinging sensation. It was the lingering malice of divine power and the mournful cry of rules being forcibly distorted.
Linde was fully aware of this.
He felt no joy of victory, only an increasingly urgent sense of crisis.
Repelling a visible divine punishment came at the cost of exposing some of the "Starfire Base's" trump cards and thoroughly enraging the being who controls the origin of world magic.
The next attack will never be so "direct".
He issued a series of ruthless and efficient orders:
Extreme Repair and Reinforcement: All resources were directed toward Starfire Base, where dwarven artisans worked day and night to repair the damaged Stabilizer Tower. Guided by a new blueprint provided by Lind, which incorporated the Light Vein Order Runes and the Shadow Abyss Void Mark, they began constructing deeper underground fortifications and more complex composite defense matrices.
"Ark Echoes" Accelerates: Research on the "Source Code" within Triss's body and the non-magical network energy of the Eternal Ice Plains is elevated to the highest priority. Linde personally leads the core team in an attempt to decipher the feasibility of combining the "Authorization Key" with independent energy sources. Even if they can only create a momentary, localized "Law Vacuum," it could potentially turn the tide of battle at a crucial moment.
Intelligence network silence: Narosh's Shadowbinders have moved into deeper infiltration, avoiding any proactive detection that might attract Teolantis's attention. At the same time, they have strengthened one-way communication with the Dwarven Royal Court, the Fox Lord Zahira, and even with the clandestine factions within the Kree Imperial Royal Magic Academy through Dean Luli, ensuring that information channels remain uncontaminated.
The entire Blackrock Territory and its allies, like a wound-up war machine, were running wildly under Lind's will, racing against time in an attempt to accumulate enough capital to protect themselves or even fight back before the next round of divine punishment.
A steely, oppressive atmosphere permeated the territory; even the sounds of children playing had diminished considerably. Everyone was silently preparing, awaiting the next battle, which was destined to be even more brutal.
However, just as Linde was focused on integrating resources and deducing the possible new attack patterns that Tiolantis might launch, a completely unexpected variable arrived in an ancient and majestic manner.
On this day, the gloomy clouds that usually shrouded Blackrock Territory due to its proximity to the Howling Abyss strangely dispersed, revealing a rare, clear blue sky.
The sunlight streamed down without obstruction, but instead of bringing warmth, it allowed an invisible pressure—far more ancient and magnificent than that of the fused god or Tiolantis, imbued with primal wildness and the sedimentation of time—to slowly envelop the entire territory like a soft yet irresistible veil.
This oppressive aura was not directed at any hostility, but it carried an unparalleled scrutiny and an unquestionable majesty, silencing all things.
All living beings, from farmers working in the fields to soldiers patrolling the city walls, from busy craftsmen to scholars studying in the palace, cannot help but feel a stirring and awe from the depths of their blood.
The warhorse pawed restlessly, the hunting dogs lowered their bodies and whimpered, and the birds flew into their nests in panic, not daring to flap their wings.
It was as if I were witnessing a living history walking through the world, and witnessing the weight of time itself.
Linde abruptly looked up from the sea of data in the laboratory, a rare look of surprise flashing in his purple eyes.
This aura... was unlike any god or powerful being he knew; it was more... pure and ancient, carrying the primordial aura of the birth of stars and the collision of continental plates.
"My lord!"
Aster's voice came through the emergency communication, tinged with suppressed shock and disbelief, "A group of dragons has appeared in the skies above our territory! They... they demand to speak with you."
In the background, you can hear the tense breathing of guards in the distance and the faint clanging of metal armor plates as their hands tremble.
Dragons. These ancient creatures, existing almost exclusively in legends and fragments of history, were once among the rulers of the continent of Tyr, long since reclusive and rarely seen. What is their purpose in appearing in collective form now?
Linde instantly suppressed all outward emotions and reverted to his usual coldness.
He tidied his appearance, not wearing combat armor, but simply dressed in his usual lord's attire. With one step, he appeared on the stargazing platform at the highest point of Blackrock City.
The wind was much fiercer up high, whipping his black robes into a fluttering sound.
The scene in the sky was breathtaking, even suffocating.
Not just one, but seven ancient dragons of varying sizes and vibrant colors. They had suppressed most of their dragon might, hovering there silently like suspended mountains. Sunlight shone on their diverse scales, refracting a dazzling brilliance—not just reflection, but the scales themselves radiated a faint yet pure aura of energy, painting the sky into a flowing, magnificent painting.
Leading the group was Kel'Thuzad, whom they had met before, but this time, he seemed vastly different from before.
His scales shone like molten gold, radiating a warm and just aura like the sun, and his enormous dragon eyes were like two burning amber pieces, wise and majestic.
He simply hovered there, as if he had become the center of heaven and earth, and even the sunlight seemed to favor him more, flowing like a liquid river of light on his scales.
He nodded slightly, and the dragon's roar, as resounding as a great bell, yet carrying a strange sense of peace, clearly reached Lind's ears and echoed in the hearts of countless gazing subjects below.
"Greetings, Lord of Blackrock, Lind Truk. I am Kel'Thalas, the Golden Dragon, and the envoy of the Dragon Council."
His gaze swept over the orderly city below and the faintly visible, still-under-repairing Starfire Base in the distance, a hint of barely perceptible admiration flashing in his eyes. His gaze seemed to penetrate the buildings, revealing the tense order and tenacious vitality within.
Slightly below Kel'Thuzad, three ancient dragons of different forms floated, each exuding a unique and powerful aura.
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