Meanwhile, thousands of kilometers away from the territory of the Demon Race stood a magnificent and enormous palace. Sёarᴄh the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
The grandeur and beauty of this palace would lead any beholder to believe that no other palace in the world could rival it, especially upon witnessing its construction from gold, silver, and other precious materials.
Inside the palace, specifically in the throne room, sat an extraordinarily beautiful and charming woman on a magnificent throne, her eyes closed.
The woman was exquisitely perfect, her flawless face appearing as if chiseled by the gods, captivating any man who beheld her. Her flame-red hair cascaded down to her buttocks, further enhancing her allure.
Drapped in a loose, fire-red robe, her curvaceous and flawless body appeared almost too much for the garment to contain.
If Leon were present and caught sight of this woman, he would undoubtedly flee in terror, for she was his nightmare—the Dragon Empress of the renowned Dragon Empire, Athena Hellness!
"Huft~" Athena let out a small sigh as she slowly opened her eyelids, revealing exquisite, fire-like, bright red pupils, her face displaying a calm, indifferent expression.
"How long has it been since our last encounter?" Athena whispered to herself as she reached into her robe pocket and retrieved a picture of a handsome man, none other than Leon.
Gazing at Leon, clad in white armor and wielding the Holy Sword of Zenith with a gentle smile on his lips, caused Athena's pupils to fluctuate slightly, infused with a glimmer of infatuation.
If there was anyone in this world who could stir her hardened heart for hundreds of years, it was the man in this picture—Leon.
The image of an exceedingly handsome and valiant young man resurfaced in her mind, prompting a wild smile to bloom on her lips.
Merely contemplating him made her, who was profoundly lonely, experience the emotions of yearning and joy that accompany a woman in love.
However, her smile gradually faded, replaced by a look of hatred as she recalled how Leon callously spurned her offer to be his lover, leading to their bitter conflict.
"Leon, oh, Leon, do you truly believe you can simply walk away from me, Athena Hellness? Hehehe~ Even if you descend into hell, I won't let you go, for you are mine!" Athena remarked in a cold tone, her strikingly beautiful and seductive upper lip curling as she licked it.
*Dum!*
Just as she was engrossed in thoughts of Leon, suddenly the entire dragon palace convulsed violently, as if on the verge of collapse, jolting her back to reality.
"What on earth is happening?" Athena whispered coldly, and her brows furrowed as she watched the palace tremble violently.
"Is this an attack?" she pondered, swiftly scanning the entire palace area with her magic but finding nothing amiss, which only deepened her frown and puzzlement.
Just as she was about to rise from her throne to investigate the cause of the tremors, an old man's voice echoed in her mind.
"Athena, are you there?"
Upon hearing the voice, Athena's eyes widened in shock and disbelief.
"Ancestor? Is that really you?" Athena asked urgently, needing to confirm she hadn't misheard.
"Yes, it's me," the old voice replied calmly, once again surprising Athena and confirming that she wasn't wrong!
Swiftly, Athena composed herself and asked in a respectful yet puzzled tone, "Ancestor, what has prompted you to contact me? Shouldn't you be in a long, peaceful sleep in your palace?"
The individual to whom she was talking is her ancestor, as well as the progenitor of the entire dragon race across the world, known as the first dragon or ancient dragon.
This ancestor, typically dormant in a deep slumber, was now contacting her, which came as a great surprise.
"Well, I was supposed to be in a deep slumber, but something has stirred me awake," he replied nonchalantly.
"Something? Is there anything capable of rousing you from your slumber?" Athena asked incredulously.
Rather than providing an answer, the old voice posed a question: "Athena, do you recall what I mentioned previously—that I was in slumber because I awaited something?"
Athena's brow furrowed as she recalled her visit to her ancestor's palace.
During that time, she had sought her ancestor's counsel, only to be turned away with the explanation that he would only awaken if the awaited 'something' had arrived.
"Yes, I remember, ancestor," Athena replied in a light tone, then continued with her question, "So, has the reason for your awakening from your deep slumber finally arrived?"
"Hahaha! Indeed, you are correct! Something I've awaited for over 7,000 years has finally come to pass!" The old voice exclaimed excitedly, piquing Athena's curiosity about what precisely this ancestor had been anticipating.
Taking a small breath, Athena resumed her calm and nonchalant demeanor as she inquired, "So, ancestor, what prompts this contact?"
The old voice in her mind remained silent for a moment before responding.
"Athena, I've reached out to you because I require your assistance," it declared.
"Hm? Require my assistance?" Athena asked, her curiosity piqued, before she continued in a calm tone, "What do you need, ancestor?"
"Before I explain further, please exit your palace and ascend to an altitude of two kilometers. Afterwards, direct your gaze westward," instructed the old voice, surprising her.
However, without uttering a word, Athena observed her palace, which shook violently once more, before disappearing from her location and reappearing two kilometers above the sky.
There, she directed her gaze westward, only to be immediately taken aback.
Before her eyes, she beheld a purplish-black streak of light piercing the sky, casting a dark pall over the entire night sky as black clouds spread throughout the area.
"This…" Athena whispered in confusion, sensing a palpable threat emanating from the purplish-black light.
"Have you already seen it?" Suddenly, the old voice reappeared in her mind, pulling Athena's attention back.
"Yes, ancestor, I witnessed it," Athena replied, her gaze unwavering in the purplish-black light.
"Good!" The voice sounded excited before continuing, "Athena, I need your help to reach the source of the purplish-black light and apprehend the individual responsible. Once you find them, bring them to my palace immediately."
After those words, the voice abruptly vanished from her mind, leaving Athena stunned and intrigued by the black light piercing the sky.
"What could that light be?" she pondered aloud.
...
"Hahaha! Finally! After more than 7,000 years, he's finally arrived!"
In front of the enormous palace gates, a handsome middle-aged man with two large black horns atop his head laughed heartily at the sight of the purplish-black light soaring into the sky.
On his face, which bore a few wrinkles, emotions of happiness, hope, and longing were unmistakable and unabashedly displayed.
After a moment, the middle-aged man ceased his laughter, his expression softening into a gentle chuckle.
"Tsk! However, that person seems to be very careful and alert," he said in a tone of helplessness, his fiery red eyes briefly shimmering with intensity as if they could perceive everything in the world before returning to their normal state as he shook his head.
With a smile still lingering on his lips, he took a small breath and turned his gaze towards the east, south, and north, letting out a slight chuckle.
"It seems that the elders of the Elven, Dwarven, Spirit, and all other races have already taken notice," he whispered in a light tone, his eyes fixed on the purplish-black light soaring into the sky once again, his expression calm.
"Finally, the war of vengeance against the evil god will officially begin, hehehe!"
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A/N: Well, as I promised, since after waking up I felt better, I decided to write again __φ(..;)
By the way, the next chapter will enter the war arc, where Leon will officially start his revenge on Velix and his subordinates, including Guren, who has taken his holy sword of Zenith.
Well, That's it! Thank you, and don't forget your support! (・ω<)☆