Ashen Dragon

Anzeta Great Wilderness, Dragon Blood Mountain—although the North has already entered winter, the surroundings of this towering mountain remain shrouded in steaming heat.

"Roar——"

A resonant Dragon's Roar shook the heavens as the colossal Red Dragon tore through space, appearing atop the mountain amidst flames and dense smoke.

"Finally, I've returned."

Feeling the familiar, all-encompassing sensation of control, Cassius revealed a contented smile and finally relaxed completely.

This was absolute security—in his Imperial Region, not even a deity could threaten him.

The saying goes, "A golden nest or silver nest is inferior to one's own den." Though the North Aisier was rich in Magic Energy, it simply could not compare to Anzeta—the place where he had grown step by step, in his heart.

After spending several months in the North Aisier Plains, Cassius had finally returned to Anzeta, to his familiar Imperial Region.

However, his return this time was not to reminisce about the past, but to deal with an exceptionally dangerous object—one even he was uncertain he could fully Control: Gush's Eye.

Anything tied to Deities, even if long separated from their bodies, holds power far beyond Mortal comprehension. Cassius had no choice but to treat it with the utmost caution.

Because he had keenly perceived one fact: the power within Gush's Eye was awakening!

From the blood pool formed by the clash of Divine Blood during the Legendary battle between Gush and Correlon Larysian, one of the infamous Ancient Evils, the "Elf Eater" Ediak Oredir, was born.

This Ancient Evil lay dormant year-round within a forgotten layer of the Abyss, feeding on the spiritual essence of Elves, and rampaging across Elf Kingdoms multiple times in recorded history.

Only by meeting conditions akin to killing a Demigod within their original plane of existence could Mortals or Deities truly destroy Ediak Oredir. Otherwise, it would always re-form in the Abyss after ten years.

Not even powerful Deities like the Storm God or the Elf God were able to annihilate it completely.

The Divine Blood of a deity could give birth to such a terrifying evil—so what of its eye?

Thus, Cassius formed a conjecture: the reason he had been able to obtain this immensely powerful artifact so effortlessly might well be due to the silent consent of Moradin and Correlon.

In this Third Era, where Deities were isolated from the Material Plane, even great Divine Power could hardly manifest their might within this realm. Should Gush's Eye fully break its seal, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Rather than sacrificing the lives of Dwarves and Elves to seal the evil, it was perhaps more pragmatic to let a similarly troublesome Evil Dragon handle it. And who knows—it might even result in a two-tiger struggle where one must be wounded.

However, this was merely baseless speculation for now—his disguise had yet to be exposed, and the Ashen Empire was his territory, capable of protecting against all external scrutiny.

Even though the eye was only half-complete and had been sealed for years by Moradin and Correlon, its strength remained formidable and could not be underestimated.

In conclusion, no vigilance could ever be relaxed.

"Then let me witness this... what kind of power lies within the remnants of a great Divine Power-level deity."

Cassius stretched out his Dragon Claw, reaching into the Other-Dimensional Space prepared for him by his avatar, retrieving the half of Gush's Eye and clasping it in his palm.

As expected, that power awoke!

"Aw——"

Instantly, an overwhelming wave of malevolent energy surged forth like a tide. A pitch-black fog of war enveloped the surrounding space, where shrill cries and chaotic roars echoed skyward.

The Red Dragon could feel an infinite stream of resentment pouring out, even beginning to erode his mind.

Following this, terrifying Divine Power associated with chaos, evil, war, strength, and hatred erupted forth, distorting everything around like a dreadful black hole.

"This is..."

Cassius gazed around, finding himself amidst a battlefield riddled with scars and wounds. The air was thick with the stench of gunpowder smoke and blood; spears and Battle Axes were embedded in the earth, surrounded by the corpses of Orcs, Elves, and Dwarves...

This was a battlefield from the Ancient Times!

In those far-off days, Deities could still walk the land. Legend held that during a grand duel, Gush, Correlon, and Moradin clashed in a battle that shook the heavens and darkened the skies.

The duel lasted years, bringing catastrophic disaster to the world, until it concluded with Correlon blinding Gush's left eye and the Orcs meeting defeat.

"Woo—"

A distant horn sounded as the Red Dragon lifted his head to see an Orc deity gazing down at him from above, his expression filled with disdain.

—He was clad in a crude, bulky black plate armor, his massive form towering and exuding an aura of chaos and evil. Behind his figure stretched a mottled sky where blood-red and black intertwined.

Even the Red Dragon could feel the oppressive weight on his shoulders, the suppression brought about by the life force of a deity.

Judging by his appearance and aura alone, the identity was unmistakable—Gush, the Beastman God.

Since then, Gush was known to rule the other Orc deities with an iron grip—he was a fearsome and ferocious god, reveling in warfare and eternally seeking new territories for his Race.

As Cassius stared intently, the Orc god slowly spoke: "Mortal… why do you not bow?"

The Red Dragon remained stationary, refusing to bow. On the contrary, he tilted his massive head, gazing at the Orc with an expression of curiosity, akin to appraising a newfound object of interest.