Chapter 440: The Story of the Ember Emperor
"Long time no see, Misha."
A deep male voice resonated from the top of the altar.
Misha's golden eyes sparkled, flames flickering within them. Her delicate face lit up with excitement.
"It's His Majesty!"
She softly exclaimed with joy.
However, Misha restrained her inner elation and delight. Descending from mid-air, she landed gracefully and followed imperial etiquette by slightly bowing her head and ascending the steps one by one.
Finally, it's time to enter the storyline!
Next up is the audience with the Emperor and advancing to Dragon Pact Sorcerer!
Summer Night Autumn Rain thought to herself.
The three players quickly turned around and cautiously followed Misha, step by step.
Yet, they couldn't help but curiously glance upward.
At the end of the long staircase, atop the altar, stood a tall throne adorned with dragon carvings.
Seated upon the throne was a man clad in a crimson robe, wearing a gem-encrusted golden crown. His handsome face was complemented by his deep pale-golden slit pupils.
He rested his chin on his hand casually. Even with such an unassuming posture, the aura he emitted compelled reverence.
—This was Cassius in his human form.
The moment he appeared, it was as though the entire world centered around him, as if all existence revolved in his orbit.
A god-like presence.
Misha stood stunned.
Even the players were struck speechless, standing rooted in place.
Under the dual influence of [Extraordinary Charisma] and [Supreme Authority], Cassius's aura was capable of such overwhelming impact.
"Additionally… welcome, Starlit Descendants who have passed the trial. You are the future Dragon Pact Sorcerers of the Empire."
Cassius spoke with a smile.
He withdrew his overwhelming aura, observing the trial's victors with a slight nod.
Cassius had initially expected thirteen participants to pass. He hadn't anticipated Misha's trial to be so stringent, leaving only three successful candidates.
Summer Night Autumn Rain, Art Is Explosion, and Dragon-Loving Wind—these were names widely known in the previous timeline.
The first two required no introduction, being top-tier professional Sorcerer players. However, the third left Cassius somewhat speechless.
Dragon-Loving Wind was undeniably strong, but his fame stemmed from an entirely different… obsession.
"His Majesty has grown even stronger!"
Misha's heart raced, and she dared not meet Cassius's gaze directly. Still, her heart brimmed with joy.
Having trained in the Plane of Fire for so long, she had missed the grand coronation ceremony, a fact that once saddened her deeply.
But now, she finally had the chance to meet him again.
"So handsome…"
"How can a model be this perfect? And that aura…"
Summer Night Autumn Rain muttered to herself, still recovering from the "hard control" state, sneaking cautious glances at him.
"Amazing!"
"With the high-temperature flames of the Dragon Pact Sorcerer, I can finally help the guild's leaders smelt aluminum alloy mechs!"
Art Is Explosion was visibly ecstatic.
Dragon-Loving Wind, while equally excited, harbored a peculiar disappointment.
"Why isn't he in dragon form?"
"Darn it, I want to touch Lord Cassius's tail…"
Cassius glanced at Misha, who appeared around fifteen or sixteen years old. Seeing the [Challenge Level: 14] above her head, he couldn't help but feel astonished.
As expected of a boss from the past, her talent was incredible.
In just one year, her power had skyrocketed. Cassius even heard rumors in the Plane of Fire about the "Daughter of Dragonfire"—an outrageous title.
These rumors painted Misha as the child of the "Ember Emperor" Cassius and a Fire Genie noble.
Amused, Cassius chuckled softly and said:
"Misha, your progress is impressive—even beyond my expectations. In just a year, you've reached such heights."
"Your Majesty, it's all thanks to your grace."
Overwhelmed by Cassius's praise, Misha bowed her head, responding with utmost respect.
Hearing this exchange, the three players were utterly shocked.
What?
One year?
That meant… Misha had become a Dragon Pact Sorcerer in less time than they had spent playing "Erezaghe" as Sorcerers!
And within that single year, Misha had risen to become a boss-level entity capable of annihilating dozens of elite players and taming elder fire elementals!
Just how strong was this faction sub-class?
Unbeknownst to them, the resources poured into Misha by the Ember Empire were astronomical: countless fire-elemental magic crystals, spell scrolls, and elixirs had been given to her without restraint.
Would that not astonish them?
Observing the varied expressions on the players' faces, Cassius's lips curled slightly.
In a solemn tone, he spoke the lines he had prepared.
"Starlit Descendants, you have completed the Trial of the Tower of Blighted Flame, proving your strength and loyalty to me."
"Thus, I shall grant you the power of the True Dragon."
Cassius raised his hand nonchalantly.
"Like this."
"Boom!"
Suddenly, flames surged, creating an inferno, meteors plummeted, and scorching celestial bodies appeared, painting catastrophic scenes in the sky.
Armies were obliterated.
Cities were reduced to ash.
Rivers dried up, and the earth cracked.
The players heard deafening roars, the crashing of collapsing buildings, and even the cries of people.
"A dragon! It's a dragon!"
Someone shouted in desperation.
Amidst the chaos, Cassius's voice rang clear:
"Catastrophe…"
"Revere it. This is the power I, as the Emperor of the Ember Empire, can bestow upon you. It brings both destruction and renewal."
"But all power comes at a cost. You must exercise restraint and control."
Cassius clenched his fist.
Everything halted instantly.
The flames, meteors, and celestial bodies dissolved into nothingness, vanishing like bubbles.
The apocalyptic scene seemed never to have occurred. The altar of Isthalia returned to its solemn tranquility, accompanied by the gentle sound of flowing water.
"This…"
The three players stood aghast, mouths agape, unable to speak.
Such a spectacle…
Could it truly be achieved by an individual's power?
On the throne, the black-haired, golden-eyed man lowered his hand and sighed:
"The sun sleeps, the stars fall, the moonlight dims, and endless wars engulf the Fianzo continent. Bloodshed and slaughter will dominate Erezaghe. This world is undergoing immense change, and the peace of the Ember Empire will not last forever."
"To face the impending calamities, the Ember Empire requires more powerful individuals to carry out my will and restore true rational order to this world."
Cassius fixed his gaze on the three players.
His pale golden eyes gleamed faintly.
"And you, Starlit Descendants, are worthy of becoming my proxies, the Empire's foremost Sorcerers, the Dragon Pact Sorcerers."
"So—are you ready?"