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Chapter 501: Report
"Dragons truly are creatures that grow stronger even in their sleep. After this slumber, my power has increased significantly once more."
Cassius observed his even more robust and ferocious body.
However, compared to the last transformation caused by absorbing the ancestral dragon bloodline—where he practically became a new dragon—this time, the external changes were not as pronounced.
Only he knew best just how powerful the strength he gained from further digesting the ancestral dragon bloodline and natural growth was—it was an all-encompassing enhancement.
Opening his status panel, he indeed noticed considerable changes.
[As a true dragon with an ancestral bloodline, you grow even in slumber, pursuing the mythical powers of the primeval era and becoming stronger.]
[Strength: 34→36]
[Constitution: 30→33]
[Intelligence: 17→18]
[Perception: 20→22]
[Charisma: 35→36]
[All dragons develop inherent magical abilities as they mature, and the oldest dragons can trace their spells back to the Nine-Faced Dragon God.]
[You have gained an additional 3 levels in Sorcerer spellcasting.]
[Your current spellcasting level is: 24]
Even an Ancient Red Dragon only has a natural spellcasting level of 19.
With Cassius' current arcane abilities, perhaps only anomalies like Oszedro could rival him.
"Huff."
The red dragon took a deep breath, sensing the surge of magical currents around him, controlling even the smallest elemental particles.
Cassius had a feeling—he no longer needed to rely entirely on the inherited magic of his bloodline; he could now create spells using his own arcane mastery.
Compared to wizards who meticulously construct spell models, sorcerers create spells much like master painters, using their innate talent to "paint" upon the Weave and manifest what they desire.
At Cassius' current level, casting Ninth-Tier spells was a routine affair, and if he obtained forbidden spells, he might even wield magic that exceeded the Ninth-Tier Weave.
After sensing the changes in his body, Cassius noticed that the system's evaluation of his power had also changed.
[Ember Emperor—Cassius]
Challenge Rating: 28 (125,000 XP)
Even the mightiest of common dragons, the Ancient Gold Dragons, only had a Challenge Rating of 26. Now, Cassius possessed the strength to defeat an Ancient Gold Dragon with relative ease.
"With this level of power, I should be able to make a name for myself across the entire Feanso Continent."
Cassius stretched out his neck, pulling his dragon wings back with his incredibly powerful latissimus dorsi muscles. Practically lying on the ground, he stretched his body, brimming with vigorous vitality.
"Snort!"
The red dragon snorted, expelling scorching white smoke from his nostrils—a discharge of excess heat from his body.
He looked toward the mountainside of Dragon Mountain. The once majestic and splendid palace had been reduced to ruins by his "morning temper." Blackened debris and broken walls were scattered everywhere.
This wasn't the first time, though—Cassius had long since developed ways to handle such incidents.
"The previous palace was getting a bit cramped anyway. This is a good opportunity to expand it."
"It's been a while since I used my Imperial Domain power."
Casually giving himself an excuse, Cassius then focused his full attention and activated his power.
[Imperial Domain: Terrain Alteration]
"Boom——"
The earth trembled once more.
Dust filled the air, and fragments scattered everywhere.
But this time, it wasn't pure destruction. The ground gradually rose, and stone pillars slowly emerged from the depths, forming the shape of a palace.
The rocks and steel seemed to be sculpted by an invisible hand, forming walls, columns, domes, and even intricate murals.
It was almost an exact replica of the original palace, but this new one was larger, grander, and truly merged seamlessly with the mountain itself.
"Th-That… is that the palace?!"
"By Cassius!"
The soldiers guarding the entrance gazed up at the rising palace in stunned silence.
Though they had long heard tales of the red dragon shaping mountains and bringing warmth to Anzeta, witnessing rocks ascend and form a palace before their eyes was beyond their comprehension.
To them, this was nothing short of a miracle.
Cassius, however, paid no heed to their awe. If anything, he was pleased to gather more faith—it was, after all, the foundation of divinity.
Suddenly, a magical signal emanated from the pile of ruins. Without hesitation, Cassius lifted the restriction.
With a "clatter," a broken mirror slowly rose from the rubble, shedding fragments as it ascended.
A familiar voice trembled from the magic mirror, filled with unconcealed excitement.
"Master…"
"You—you have awakened!"
The cracked mirror reflected the face of an ogre. Despite the shattered surface, his ugliness remained unmistakable.
Cassius gave a slight nod and ordered in a calm tone, "Come to the palace. I need to know what has happened over the past year."
"Yes, Master."
Langpu nodded repeatedly before cutting off the magic transmission.
Mere seconds later, space fluctuated before the red dragon, and Langpu hurriedly stepped out from a portal, kneeling at Cassius' feet.
"Master."
For some reason, Cassius felt that the ogre wasn't as energetic as before.
His massive body exuded a sense of fatigue, which even his luxurious robe couldn't conceal. Dark circles had formed under his murky little eyes.
If ogres had hair, this dragon-blooded ogre mage would undoubtedly be bald.
Had he been overworked?
That aside, this ogre, whom Cassius had personally nurtured, was indeed a highly useful retainer.
Langpu grinned obsequiously and said, "Master, you've grown even stronger."
The ogre cautiously lifted his head and fervently praised, "There has never been a dragon like you in this world! Your body is as majestic as the earth, your wings as vast as the sky, your tail as winding as the mountains!"
"Langpu, you should know I am not here to listen to a bard's clichés."
Cassius interrupted him.
"Of course, Master."
You remain ever humble and devoted to the empire."
The ogre scratched his head awkwardly before retrieving a magic stone from the dimensional pocket within his robe.
"Whoosh——"
Instantly, magical images appeared midair, not only containing detailed text but also an abundance of illustrations and charts.
If this ogre applied for a job on Earth, he would most likely be evaluated as "proficient in office software."
Langpu put on his gold-rimmed glasses, and the expression on his ugly face became serious and focused.
"Master, after the Starfallers left, the empire's economic development slowed, and technological progress nearly came to a halt."
"I expected as much."
Cassius nodded slightly. This was within his expectations—after all, there were far too few laborers as cheap and efficient as players.
"However, the scale of the war in the south continues to expand, and our armament orders remain in short supply. Just as you predicted, the military industry is still booming, with net monthly profits now reaching one million gold nals."
"But the expansion of the military-industrial complex has also given rise to a series of social issues, such as increased domestic violence. As a result, I took the liberty of implementing some special measures."
"In agriculture and animal husbandry, the Matra Grand Farmland has been mostly completed and can now supply seventy percent of the nation's grain. As per your instructions, the prime breeds at the Storm Highlands' primal bull ranch and dragon beast ranch have also been cultivated."
"In cultural affairs, the Imperial Propaganda Department has furthered ideological education by integrating the manuscripts left behind by the Starfallers, following your directives."
"Additionally—"
"Page 36."
"On page 87, I have compiled the proportion and growth trends of various industries."
"On page 121, I have analyzed conflicts among the different races."
Langpu's report spanned over two hundred pages, covering the empire's political, economic, cultural, and military developments over recent years.
After all, what he had to manage was no longer just a kingdom ruling over part of the northern region, nor merely a monster nest controlling the Storm Highlands.
The Ember Empire was now a vast and complex multiethnic empire.
The empire had a population of over eight million, covering nearly four million square kilometers of land, spanning the Anzeta Wasteland, the Katpa Region, the Dark Lands, and the Plane of Fire.
Humans, serpentfolk, tieflings, ogres, hobgoblins, orcs, fire dwarves, gray dwarves, satyrs, kobolds, lizardfolk—
According to official statistics, the Ember Empire housed thirty-four intelligent races. If "non-citizens" were included, the number would be even greater.
With such vast territory, diverse races, and the impact of new technologies, the empire's social structure had become more complex and dynamic than any nation in recorded history.
As the Imperial Chancellor, Langpu was truly overwhelmed with responsibilities.
However, before long, Langpu's dry and monotonous report made the freshly awakened Cassius yawn, feeling a bit drowsy.
A cluster of scorching flames flickered in his mouth, with searing gray smoke seeping between his teeth.
Being a hands-off ruler was truly the best—just throw out some general ideas and leave the rest to his capable subordinates.
Cassius watched as Langpu continued his eloquent report and suddenly asked curiously, "Langpu, how do you manage to handle so many tasks simultaneously?"
Langpu froze on the spot, as if recalling an unpleasant experience, forcing a strained smile.
"Your Majesty, I am merely doing what I must!"
"I bought scrolls of Multiphase Duplication from Thraex, allowing me to create multiple illusionary copies of myself to manage affairs simultaneously."
"I see."
Cassius paid little attention to it.
However, Langpu didn't mention that those illusions had a direct mental link with the original, meaning this ogre mage was constantly multitasking on multiple fronts.
Six months ago, under the immense workload, one of Langpu's duplicates even "awakened," attempted to escape, and plotted to assassinate Langpu—nearly causing a catastrophe in the Imperial Council.
Cassius praised, "In governance, you have always performed well."
The red dragon slowly rose, his golden pupils fixed on Langpu as he spoke in a deep voice:
"However... have the demons appeared?"
"The time predicted for the demon invasion is approaching. The empire must take this matter seriously."
Langpu nodded solemnly and turned to the last page of the magic projection:
"Master, your words were correct. Over the past year, demons have launched multiple small-scale attacks on the empire, resulting in hundreds of casualties."
"The last attack happened just three days ago, on the day of your coronation. A succubus disguised as a human infiltrated Isthalia, attempting to corrupt imperial citizens and incite rebellion."
"Fortunately, Miss Misha intervened in time and slew the demon."
A cold glint flashed in the golden slit pupils of the red dragon, his sharp fangs peeking through the corners of his mouth: "Isthalia."
"These demons have become this brazen? Daring to launch an attack in my capital?"
Langpu spoke in a grave tone, "That's not all. Six months ago, while I was delivering a speech on the outskirts of Isthalia, a Soul Eater Demon shot me through the ear with an Abyssal Arrow."
The ogre pointed at his right ear, where a gruesome tear was visible—the once thick ear was now only half intact.
Gritting his teeth, he said, "Master, I have kept this wound to remember this humiliation and to make those Abyssal demons pay."
"However, only you can decide the empire's course. That is why I have been waiting for your awakening."
Cassius gazed southward, as if piercing through the layers of mountains to see the Abyssal Gate deep within the Anstika Mountains.
"I will crush them."
Cassius stated calmly.
In his past life, demons had also come from the south, inciting a fierce resistance from the Northern United Kingdom and the players. The people of Anzeta paid a heavy price in blood before securing a hard-won victory.
Yet, the Demon of Vengeance never revealed itself. At the final moment of the "Ember's Remnant Fire," when Cassius was on the brink of death, a massive black claw had bound him and dragged the red dragon from the Material Plane.
Cassius suspected that his past self's body had been seized by a demon lord. This time, the demon assault would be even more ferocious than before.
However, Anzeta had undergone drastic changes. Compared to the Northern United Kingdom, the Ember Empire's military power was overwhelming.
Langpu seemed to recall something and suddenly said, "Oh, Master, Lady Olivia has already found reinforcements from Melward."
"When the demons descend, the silver dragons should send aid to support the empire. According to our treaty, their envoy should be arriving soon."
"Oh? An envoy?"
Cassius had long expected Melward to agree to cooperate, but he was still curious.
Which envoy would that old silver dragon—whose wings Cassius had personally broken—send?
Isthalia, Goncalo Palace.
This was the Ember Empire's diplomatic reception hall, rarely adorned with luxurious decorations, yet exuding a strong "imperial presence."
Inside the hall, Olivia, dressed in formal senator attire, her silver-gray eyes filled with anxiety.
She lowered her voice, persuading, "Aunt, your prejudice runs too deep."
"After all you've seen on this journey, you must realize that the lives of the Anzeta people have improved greatly."
She hesitated before continuing, "His Majesty Cassius may not be kind, but he is far from a monstrous tyrant."
Beside Olivia stood a noblewoman in a white gown, voluptuous in figure, appearing in her thirties, with cascading silver hair.
Wisdom, intelligence, beauty.
That was the first impression she gave to all. At any noble banquet, she would receive endless invitations from gentlemen.
This was Genesis, the adult silver dragon of the Melward family, known as the "Pearl of Korda."
However, at this moment, Genesis' radiant face was filled with rage: "Olivia, are you insane?"
"That red dragon destroyed a kingdom, slaughtered thousands of humans, and gravely injured your grandfather—yet you still defend him? You are a member of Melward!"
Olivia lowered her gaze, her face pale as she defended weakly, "No, it's not like that. I am doing this for Anzeta."
Genesis sighed and softened her tone slightly, "Very well, little Olivia. I will consider your words."