"Want to leave?" Kochi stood up, pushed his glasses up, and murderous intent surged within him, "Not a single one of our King's offerings can hope to escape."

He was just about to pursue.

"Let it go." That voice resounded from within the abyss, "Bringing fear to this world is also part of the grand plan. Go... bring me what I want."

"As you command, my King!" Kochi stopped in his tracks and respectfully lowered his head.

Meanwhile, high in the air, Domoko's tall and robust body finally lost all its vitality.

With his eyes wide open in reluctance, he plummeted straight down from the high altitude, smashing directly into the bottomless abyss.

The scene shifted to a day later.

Freedom Federation, Holy City, Cathedral of Light.

The afternoon sunlight filtered through the stained glass windows, spilling onto Archbishop Andrew's stern and unsmiling face.

He was sitting behind a large mahogany desk, listening to the report from his confidant, Vice Bishop Clement.

"Lord Bishop, there is still no news." Clement lowered his voice, cold sweat seeping from his forehead, "The Holy Judgment Knights have lost contact for more than forty-eight hours. After Lord Domoko and Lord Thor headed to Losga City, all communications were completely cut off. Should we..."

"Should we what? Go disturb the Holy Lord?" Andrew put down the pure gold quill in his hand, looking coldly at Clement, "I have said before, without conclusive intelligence, no one is allowed to go to the palace and disturb the Holy Lord's rest!"

"But My Lord, a full hundred S-rank elites, plus two SS-rank..."

Accompanied by a wailing sound.

Before Clement could finish his words, high above the cathedral outside, a dragon roar of extreme sharpness and misery suddenly echoed!

This sound was filled with endless desolation, vibrating the glass of the entire Cathedral of Light with a buzzing sound!

Andrew's expression changed drastically. He stood up, not even caring that he knocked over his chair, grabbed his scepter, and rushed out the door!

On the white jade plaza, countless holy knights and priests were already in utter chaos.

They raised their heads in panic, watching the colossal figure rapidly falling from the sky.

Accompanied by a loud bang.

A Golden Dragon covered in scars and with most of its scales fallen off crashed heavily into the center of the plaza!

The hard stone slabs were smashed into a huge crater, and dust filled the air.

"Eike?!"

When Andrew saw the miserable appearance of that Dragon, his heart tightened fiercely, and his expression changed in great alarm.

That was Domoko's bound Dragon!

At this moment, how could Eike still possess its former magnificent demeanor?

Its wings had been torn until only skeletons remained, and there wasn't a single piece of good flesh on its entire body.

The most fatal thing was the bone-deep piercing wound on its abdomen. Terrifying red scorch marks lingered at the edge of the wound, and even its internal organs were clearly visible!

Something had happened to Domoko! And it was a matter of monumental proportions!

"No... impossible... Domoko is..." Andrew's hand holding the scepter trembled slightly.

Accompanied by a gagging sound.

The Dragon Eike struggled to twist its neck and slammed its head onto the ground.

It opened its mouth and, along with a mouthful of scalding Dragon blood, spat out a human figure.

"Th... This is Lord Thor!"

A nearby knight exclaimed.

Andrew stepped forward and arrived in front of the Dragon.

Lying on the ground was none other than Thor, who was once known as the God of Thunder.

His entire body's bones were shattered, his Thunder God battle armor was tattered beyond recognition, his breath was as faint as gossamer, and he was already exhaling more than he was inhaling.

After spitting out Thor, the Golden Dragon Eike's pair of dim vertical pupils glanced at Andrew.

It wanted to convey something, but the injuries were simply too severe, exhausting its final vitality. The Dragon's head slammed heavily onto the ground, completely losing its life force.

This...

Looking at the dead Dragon and the dying Thor, the plaza was dead silent.

Andrew was terrified. He was an SS-rank Peak powerhouse of the Holy-type, but he actually couldn't understand the Law fluctuations lingering on the wound of the Dragon's abdomen!

That was simply not a power belonging to the known occupational system of this world!

"What are you still standing there for?!" Andrew suddenly let out an extremely suppressed roar, breaking the silence, "Hurry! Go call all the Holy-type arch-priests! Bring all the best life potions over! Save Thor at all costs!"

"Yes! Lord Bishop!" The knights snapped out of their daze and hurriedly rushed forward, carrying Thor toward the emergency room.

Clement walked to Andrew's side with a pale face, his voice trembling: "My Lord... Lord Domoko didn't come back. The Dragon is dead, and Lord Thor has ended up like this. The truth of those two cities, ultimately..."

"Shut up." Andrew coldly interrupted him.

Andrew didn't look at the dead Dragon again; instead, he turned around, raised his head, and looked toward the direction of the extremely luxurious imperial palace at the very center of the Holy City.

His gaze was complex, filled with anger, fear, and profound desolation.

"If I go this time... and cannot come back."

"Please help me take good care of Eike."

"Andrew, you tell me, is our Holy Lord dying?"

Domoko's treasonous words before leaving echoed repeatedly in Andrew's mind.

Never did he expect that what that unyielding and stubborn mule had once said would be fulfilled so quickly!

Not only did Domoko die, but even the Dragon he entrusted failed to survive.

The sky of the Freedom Federation had truly collapsed.

What kind of role did that aloof Holy Lord play in this conspiracy sweeping across the world? And who was that terrifying existence capable of killing Domoko in a split second?!

"Pass down my order." Andrew gripped his scepter tightly, "Activate the highest-level Holy defensive grand array of the Holy City. From today onwards, all members of the Holy Judgment Knights will enter a wartime state. Without my permission, no one is allowed to leave the Holy City by even half a step!"

"Yes!"

Meanwhile, far across the ocean in Great Xia Nation, Donghai City.

At this moment, thousands of meters beneath Donghai City, within the ancient ruins.

At the very center of the endless fog stood an ancient and magnificent black palace—Eternal Hall.

The walls of the grand hall were engraved with intricate and eerie undead runes. The weathering of time failed to erase its majesty, adding instead a spine-chilling gloominess.

Ruling over the grand hall, sitting upright upon that throne was a colossal skeleton statue.

With a click.

An extremely faint sound of bone friction resounded within the quiet Eternal Hall.

That skeleton clad in armor.

Its thick fingers resting on the white bone armrests moved slightly, without any warning.