The Rise of the Forgotten: The Rise of the Forgotten, #5

Chapter 1

However, Leo didn't have time to marvel too much. He raised his hand to continue the fight, unaware of the faint flash of gold in his eyes...

Frost Nova.

Earth Bind.

A layer of frost, along with earth elemental claws that suddenly emerged from the ground, caused the three vampire clan members to slow down. Meanwhile, Leo leaped up and unleashed his series of counterattacks with the Paladin's ultimate skill, Revenge!

The accumulated power resulted in a devastating attack from Leo. Although his short sword was cut in half by the opponent's instinctive block with a long sword, Leo didn't stop his advance. He sliced open the vampire's chest, causing blood to spray out!

Before the opponent could fall, Leo released a spell that was negligible to the Count vampire, the Fireball, while simultaneously throwing his weapon—

Clang!

The opponent sent Leo' threatening short sword flying, but instinctively blocked the incoming fireball. Little did they know that Leo' fist swiftly struck their exposed abdomen, causing them to bend over and fly up in an instant!

Following up, Leo delivered a knee strike to the opponent's face, then mercilessly grabbed their neck with his arm and exerted force—*crack!*

Leo directly snapped the vampire's neck. At this moment, the last vampire took advantage of the opening and desperately left a wound on Leo' back. However, when Leo revealed his magical tattoo to the opponent, the one who was about to stab him with a raised sword froze for a moment. But before they could react, Leo had already pressed the element he had condensed in his hand against their chest.

Ice Lance.

Similar to the Fireball spell, a low-level spell, Leo pushed forward with his palm as the element condensed into an ice lance—*thud!*

A fifth-level spell that would normally shatter into tiny elements in the Count vampire's chest, pierced straight through their chest, emitting a faint golden glow.

Leo pushed away the blood clan that pierced his heart, furrowing his brow as he looked at his hands. He released another Ice Spear, but this time he noticed that the ice blue element was mixed with a golden light, piercing through the disemboweled blood clan and turning their bodies into kebabs in an instant...

What is this?

Leo carefully felt the changes in his body. After the intense pain from the staff's destruction disappeared, he felt as if he were soaking in warm water. Surprisingly, his strength was slowly advancing towards the level of a Level I power, accompanied by a slight burning sensation. He had a premonition that his power was gradually recovering to the level when he held the staff.

Even stranger, Leo suddenly felt a special power awakening within his body... Divine power? Ordinary elemental power couldn't directly pierce through a Count-level vampire with spells below Level 10. Why was this happening?

But there was no time to ponder these questions. Leo lifted his head and flew directly towards the sky. He had to stop Andariel before she did anything.

No matter what Andariel wanted to do, Leo knew that she would be a disaster for the Night Watchers and Lampard!

...

I think everyone understands what this means.

On the snowy mountains in the far north of the continent, a resounding statement weighed heavily in the desolate conference hall.

There were many ancient councils, but the Golden Compass Council was undoubtedly the most famous. It was the pinnacle of magicians, the highest council that countless magic apprentices aspired to. Being a member of the council represented the highest recognition of magical achievements and identity.

However, what was the internal situation of such a seemingly powerful council?

Freud, the highest-ranking Sanctum Archmage, stood tall in front of the cold conference table. Despite his position as the dean of the Pansel Magic Academy, he did not wear the luxurious robes of a dean. Instead, he wore a plain and old-fashioned gray mage robe without any extra decorations.

Looking ahead, the eleven temporary attendees were also dressed in these shabby robes. However, the identities of these old folks were enough to scare people. Seven of them were deans of various famous magic academies, and their titles didn't need to be mentioned. Basically, all the renowned archmages on the continent were present.

There were a total of eighteen council members, but a few of them hadn't arrived yet due to the emergency summons. However, the fact that this group of people had arrived at this remote mountain peak within two days of receiving the signal showed the seriousness of the situation.

Freud, I think you're exaggerating the situation a bit.

Carlo, the dean of Phoenix Academy, tapped his fingers on the table. The dimensional rift has always existed in our plane, and there are those guys guarding it. We don't need to worry about it.

Don't push this responsibility onto others. I don't think it's a good practice for the council, Freud frowned. The those guys Carlo mentioned naturally referred to another secretive and powerful organization called the Laws.

Good practice? This incident happened in Byzantine. According to the council's regulations, it should be your responsibility - and your action was to call us all to this godforsaken place that hasn't been used for decades? Stigya, the dean of Hogrill School of Magic in the Ingwe Empire, seemed displeased. His empire was quite far from Byzantine, so naturally, he didn't care much about this matter.

I took responsibility, that's why I called you all here, and I'm not just fearmongering, Freud pointed to the empty seat next to him, which was originally prepared for the sacred Gabriel Empire. It had been empty for hundreds of years because the Vatican considered the practice of magic as heresy. This time is not what the Vatican calls the 'Holy Descent.' Otherwise, I believe they would have made a big fuss about it. But according to the clues I currently have, the one who tore the dimensional rift and entered our world is not from 'Heaven.'

Any fluctuation emitted from a dimensional rift would have corresponding records and assessments. Just like Bob could discern dimensions based on their aura, as the high-end council of the magical world, the magical array that recorded the fluctuations of dimensional rifts would also record the origin of this rift.

The recorded dimensions included Abyss, Abyssal, Angel, and Temple, but obviously, this didn't mean that the world only had these dimensions. Exploring unknown dimensions had always been the domain of spatial mages. However, it was clear that the fluctuation caused by this dimensional crossing did not belong to any known dimensional rift.

A new dimension? What are the consequences?

Carlo raised an eyebrow.

The known consequence is that a human has crossed over to the human dimension.

Freud's answer drew the attention of all the council mages.

Clearly, his words raised some confusion - if it was a crossing from another dimension, why was it still a human?

There is one more important piece of information - he is the holder of the Sapphiron Staff, said the speaker, causing the three elder mages at the table to immediately stand up.

The remaining senators had varying expressions - some had a shallow understanding of the Sapphiron Staff, while others were already aware of certain important news and were not surprised.

So... does anyone still think this incident is insignificant? asked the speaker.

Without knowing the specific developments, I believe the council should not make any unnecessary decisions, said Paganini, the chief mage of the Uther Empire, as he took off his monocle and slowly wiped it with a handkerchief. The Golden Compass Council had its own factions, similar to the hawks and doves, even though they were all elderly men over a hundred years old. There were those who were eager for war and those who preferred to remain neutral.

The Blood Clan will mobilize as a whole because of this, and they have already begun to do so. The Clement family has mustered unimaginable power and started their actions within the sacred Gabriel Empire. It is clear that they are now fighting with their backs against the wall. If they get their hands on the staff, the consequences will be unimaginable, said Rembrandt, the chief mage of the Eisengel Principality, shaking his head.

Obviously, if something happens in the sacred Gabriel Empire, which is so close to Miga, I have a responsibility to deal with things that should not have happened, added Freud.

Has Byzantine made a decision already? asked Morner, the Gilman Empire mage, squinting his eyes and staring at Freud.

Before Freud could answer, the discussion in the conference hall was interrupted by a series of clear footsteps.

The conference hall of the Golden Compass Council was located in an uninhabited area with temperatures below minus fifty degrees, in the far north. It was built on top of a mountain peak, inaccessible to ordinary people, and even powerful mages below Level I could not cross the surrounding security barrier.

Therefore, this unexpected guest straightforwardly demonstrated his strength and identity by barging in.

The ancient stone gate slowly opened, and the mages of the Golden Compass Council had already stood up and looked towards the extraordinary powerhouse who was able to enter under such circumstances. But as the intruder's face was revealed, all the mages in the council made a unified movement in the next moment.

The staff was placed flat on the ground as Della bowed her head and greeted, After all these years, has the council made any progress at all?

This impolite remark made the elders in the room pale, but none of them dared to raise their heads to challenge her. Even the Golden Compass Council, which had existed for eight hundred years, had to look up to her.

Della, the first card in the history of tarot, known as the Magician, Freud, and also Leo' mentor, appeared alone beside the council's long table.

Unlike before, Della was not dressed in a black robe, but in a complicated light blue robe, which represented her current identity...

A member of the Law.

For so long, you haven't shown the proper attitude or taken any action. Do you really think that the 'Law' will become as confused as you with the passage of time? Della, who rarely spoke, waved her hand and a bright pattern appeared on the long table of the council, in front of the twelve members present.

It was a complete magic pattern formation. If Leo were present, he would surely be amazed because it was identical to the magic pattern behind Leo.

A gift from the Sanctuary.

Della's cold voice echoed in the council chamber, The carriers of the scepter, as you call them, have this magic pattern formation behind them.

Chapter 2

Dong Baliche, Lampard.

Under the still cold territory bathed in sunlight, the land, which had been soaked in blood after several battles, appeared strangely dark red.

A week ago, on the vast plain south of the city of Pas, Hegel's army engaged in a full-scale battle with the vanguard of the Uther Empire. The five-day-long frontal battle ended with Hegel's hired surprise attack force from Eisengel infiltrating the Uther army from the side and rear of the battlefield.

It was a pyrrhic victory, the result of the entire noble armies of East Baliche joining forces to resist the joint forces of the holy Gabriel Empire and the Uther Empire. Both sides deployed over a hundred thousand troops and more than twenty reserve teams, resulting in a total loss of over sixty thousand soldiers.

Bodies littered the field.

But this did not mean the end of the war.

With the loss of over three thousand archers, knights, and twenty thousand main infantry units, the entire Lampard territory was severely weakened. The nearly decimated mercenary force of less than ten thousand soldiers could not pursue the victory due to the weather conditions. And at this delicate moment, the second batch of reinforcements from Uther arrived unexpectedly, bringing the balance of power back into a stalemate.

So far, more than eleven cities in East Baliche have changed hands in the course of attack and recapture. And after becoming prisoners of war, Lord Christina discovered that the leader of the Night's Watch had changed once again. This led Connor and Christina, who were already not loyal to Hegel, to decide to cease any support in their actions.

Therefore, Hegel, who was already struggling alone, found himself in a predicament. But the trouble did not end there.

A military force from Byzantine wants to meet the owner of this territory.

Eilindel, the weary elven scout, reported this news, adding to the commander Lampard's current troubles... It was clear that they were looking for Leo, without a doubt—the attire of the high-ranking executioners of the religious tribunal indicated the purpose of their visit. But now, who should go and meet them?

What are these religious fanatics doing, coming all the way across half the continent to this place? It's unreasonable to expect me to go and meet them.

It's not a wise decision. Their forces already surpass the level you can confront, even if they use the power of holy light, their might is still formidable.

Eilindel's response carried a hint of helplessness—this was the current state of Lampard, at the end of its rope. If anything unexpected were to happen to the core of the territory at this moment, it would be like the last straw that broke the camel's back.

Who should we send to deal with these lunatics? Hegel furrowed his brow, but suddenly thought of something and turned his gaze to the side.

In addition to Hegel and Eilindel, there was another person in the room... or rather, not just a person - in the corner, a knight sat slanted on a wooden chair, leaning against the wall, silent.

The Kaelga Holy Armor - the forbidden armor displayed in the corner of the Count's house, which had killed over thirty great knights. It seemed to be worn by a powerful individual now. The exaggerated helmet faceplate was tightly closed, and no one could see what was behind the sturdy metal armor. The armor's coverage area exceeded anyone's imagination, with even the fingers covered in steel engraved with magical patterns, except for the dark inner lining that might reveal the skin at the knee joint.

In other words, this knight had not revealed a single inch of skin outside the armor from head to toe.

But when Hegel's gaze shifted here, the pitch-black faceplate suddenly flickered with two points of light, and then the knight slowly stood up...

Tall and slender, even when standing still, the knight exuded an astonishing aura due to the Kaelga Holy Armor bestowed by the Byzantine Religious Tribunal.

Someone wants to cause trouble for Lord Leo? The voice rang out, with an eerie echo, causing Eilindel, who was unaware of the situation, to widen his eyes!

Clang!

The gauntlet, which had restrained its radiance, drew a long sword. Without any unnecessary words, the knight walked towards the hall and didn't utter a second word.

Eilindel stared in astonishment as the black-armored knight brushed past him and walked out, unable to say a word.

Because... that sword was once Lana's personal sword.

Outside the Count's mansion, a team from the Byzantine Religious Tribunal stood in formation, ready and waiting.

They had come all the way from Byzantine, but instead of taking the shorter route through the Holy Gabriel Empire, they had taken a detour, passing through the southern region of the Miga Principality in Eisengel. As a result, the time it took for them to travel from their departure to their arrival in Baliche was beyond imagination. Little did they know that during this time, there had been a change in ownership of Baliche. According to the orders of the religious tribunal, the heretic was now within the Lampard territory in Baliche. Whether he was a lord or a commoner, the high-ranking judges of the religious tribunal had only one task: to find him and execute him on the spot.

No one knew how the six departments within the religious tribunal had come to this decision. There were no votes or democracy here. The execution department of the Sword of Judgment was responsible for the main task, but there were still three mages with the Cobb's Right Eye among the group. Their strength was generally above Level II, clearly the elite among the elites, and they had absolute conviction in killing Leo.

The size of this team was not large, only about thirty to forty people, but their formidable strength gave them the confidence to face the former powerful lord. However, when a black-clad knight walked out of the lord's hall, the atmosphere on the scene suddenly seemed to freeze.

Thirty-seven great knights had perished at the hands of a single set of armor. It seemed to challenge common sense, but that magical item known as the Kaelga Holy Armor had been personally classified by the religious tribunal as a forbidden touch level item.

It was a product of madness, created by a group of highly skilled yet incredibly insane individuals. It devoured souls, bodies, and all forms of energy... But today, its endless craving seemed to have met its match in an incredibly powerful soul.

Lana.

Enduring years of torment from the magic worms, Lana had unknowingly strengthened her soul energy to a level that ordinary people could not reach. And the green-eyed Bob, she herself was not even aware of the terrifying power her protected soul possessed.

These seemingly sealed secrets were fully revealed when Lana, who could move the armor as if it were a real person, appeared in front of the religious tribunal team in her soul state.

Two faint blue lights lit up on her black cheeks, staring at the clergymen in front of her like pupils.

The Kaelga Holy Armor?!

One of the mages belonging to the Cobb's Right Eye among the elite of the tribunal recognized the identity of the black armor. After all, the manufacturing time of this armor was too long ago, far behind the knight armors of Byzantine today. Moreover, the densely packed runes on its iconic helmet and chest had surpassed the concept of ordinary magical equipment. Even after a hundred years, there were still people who could recognize it at a glance... However, this discovery was an ominous sign for all clergymen.

What history did not record but the religious tribunal firmly remembered was that all the knights who wore the Kaelga Holy Armor and eventually lost control had killed over a thousand clergymen!

Therefore, within the religious tribunal, this armor had another name: The Defiler.

With a cry of alarm, the signal for battle preparations was sounded. The front-line swordsmen drew their swords in an instant, and the sorcerers' incantations immediately conjured a golden glow. The mages in the back had already cast protective barriers and were gathering elemental energy to prepare for an attack.

Clearly, the appearance of this armor symbolized absolute opposition to the religious tribunal, as it was a symbol of impurity and desecration. All those who wore it were enemies of the tribunal!

However, as the target of their attack, Lana, clad in the holy armor of Saint Kai, simply drew her sword slowly. Suddenly, an unimaginably powerful aura burst forth from her body, almost engulfing the entire city of Xiselin!

The souls of the thirty-seven fallen knights were imprisoned here. After Lana defeated them all and absorbed their soul power, her strength had already surpassed the limits of an ordinary person's imagination. It could be said that if the madmen who created this armor were still alive, they would surely be pleased that their efforts had finally paid off. This armor had created a being with power far surpassing that of a Holy Grail Knight!

A pale blue light burst forth, and Lana's figure suddenly disappeared, instantly infiltrating the ranks of the religious tribunal!

In an instant, blood stained the ground.

...

In the sky, Leo had been flying for a day and a night.

In this extremely short period of time, his body had gradually regained its strength, reaching the level of a Class I. However, unlike when he first used the magic runes to unseal his power, this time Leo experienced a greater and more controllable power.

It was as if he had been a child in a treasure mountain, unaware of the tons of gold beneath his feet. He had wealth but didn't know how to use it. Now, Leo inexplicably felt a confident control over his power. This confidence made his flying speed faster and faster. When he flew straight over the sacred Gabriel Empire, the Inquisition had no idea what had happened.

But after the staff disappeared, Leo had become the new staff. To the vampires, he was a beacon in the darkness. So when Leo flew straight through the sacred Gabriel and soared over the majestic mountain peaks, surpassing an altitude of five thousand meters, a dark mass appeared in the distance behind him.

The Clement family had mobilized all their forces.

Chapter 3

Xiselin City, Count's Mansion.

If there was one phrase to describe the scene here, bodies scattered everywhere would be the most fitting.

The entire team of high-ranking judges from the religious tribunal had been wiped out.

Lana, with her powerful and suffocating presence, stood in the midst of the bloodbath, as if she were in hell. Her pitch-black armor was covered in sticky blood and fragments of internal organs. The dragon-shaped helmet remained on her head, and there wasn't a single scratch on her armor.

She picked up a piece of torn robe from the ground and gently wiped her sword. Turning around, she walked into the Lord's hall as if nothing had happened, passing by the horrified expressions of Hegel and Eilindel, and sat back in the corner.

The sudden battle made Hegel realize the astonishing level Lana had reached. However, he had no authority to command this terrifying knight, as she completely ignored his words.

Clearly, her former master still had control over her.

But would Leo come back?

Eilindel, who had returned to her post, tried to calm herself and ignore the gap in strength between her and the knight. However, on the third day, she received a rather pessimistic message from the frontlines: Uther's reserve troops had arrived, and the movements in their camp indicated that they were preparing for a second attack!

As she walked towards the Lord's hall with a serious expression, she saw Hegel suddenly lift his head and gaze at the sky outside the window.

Dark clouds were gathering overhead, as if preparing for a heavy snowfall. However, the tranquility of the scene was shattered by a mass of black clouds in the distance and an inexplicable noise.

A dark shadow appeared on the horizon. To get a clearer view, Lord Hegel immediately headed towards the tower. What he observed next sent a chill down his spine - vampires.

Eilindel reluctantly reported the news of the Uther Gabriel coalition's preparations for an attack, causing Lampard, the current lord, to darken even more.

The Creed had already received intelligence about the awakening of Prince William, the leader of the Clement vampire clan, but no one expected them to act so directly and boldly. The first time, it was a collective attack by a group of count-level individuals, but who could have imagined that this time they would come in full force, like a swarm of locusts!

Having worked in intelligence for many years, Eilindel did not dare to underestimate the power contained within this dark cloud. Clearly, they were not inferior to the army that Uther had assembled for another attack.

This meant that Lampard's territory was facing a dual crisis from both the vampire clan and the Uther Gabriel coalition.

Hegel, who had already deployed his troops in case of emergencies, also did not anticipate having to face a group of menacing vampires at this critical moment. The last time Bob and Leo faced a swarm of vampires, they effortlessly annihilated them. But this time...

He involuntarily turned his gaze towards the figure sitting motionless in the corner of the hall. Lana, like a statue, sat there unmoving. It was clear that relying on someone uncontrollable when in power was definitely not a wise decision. Hegel sighed and turned his head, looking at the military map of Baliche behind him, muttering to himself, Is there really no other way?

Just then, the wooden doors of the lord's hall were forcefully pushed open, and an unexpected group of figures appeared in Hegel's sight.

Sunderland, holding a staff, walked into the main hall, followed by members of the Lampard Mage Corps.

It seems... there might still be hope? Sunderland said, holding his staff.

Hegel remained calm on the surface but felt relieved inside. He took a step forward and said solemnly, The Lampard territory will be grateful to anyone willing to protect it.

Sunderland, the grand archmage in his magnificent mage robes, did not respond to Hegel's words. Instead, he stopped in his tracks and slightly turned his body, making way for someone beside him.

Behind him, an older man, dressed in a gray robe and wearing a hood, walked forward with a wooden staff in hand. Hegel was taken aback; he had never seen such a person in the Mage Corps before.

Lampard's Lord Hegel, I believe we had the opportunity to meet, the hook-nosed mage reached up and took off his hood, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly. I am Carlo Strala, the headmaster of 'Phoenix' in Sunderland.

Phoenix.

The three major magic academies in Baliche, Phoenix, Dragon Rock, and Frost, far surpass the Pansel Magic Academy in Byzantine Constantine in terms of level and faculty strength. Phoenix is the leader among the three academies - its headmaster can easily rank in the top ten on the continent.

It is widely recognized that mages have far greater abilities and influence than knights or swordsmen of the same level. When a mage with power and influence beyond Hegel's imagination appeared before him, the Lord immediately felt a sense of unease.

Hegel Grass.

He bowed, but the other party immediately turned his gaze to the nearby Black Knight Lana, as if wanting to say something. However, seeing that Lana didn't even look at him, he closed his mouth and shifted his gaze back to Hegel.

As the representative of Baliche in the 'Golden Compass Council,' I have a message for you - Lampard's current 'Lord,' his words were not at all polite, and he even pointed out the fact that Hegel's regime was a puppet government without hesitation. For the third time in the 857 years since the council's existence, I am notifying you, according to protocol, that the Golden Compass Council will activate the 'Intervention' plan due to Leo Wendell Sol.

Intervention?

Hegel was stunned. He had no concept of this term, but he understood what the Golden Compass Council represented. However, when he didn't know how to respond, Lana, who had been motionless in the corner, suddenly stood up.

She didn't say a word, but stared straight out the window.

There, in front of the dark storm clouds, a black shadow suddenly streaked across the sky towards them!

Crack!

Almost instantly, there was an explosion outside the Lord's Hall.

The group of mages inside immediately walked out of the hall, only to witness an incredibly bizarre scene - a hot and angelic-looking beauty appeared outside the Lord's Hall. Under her feet were massive cracks and shattered debris. She glanced at the surrounding towers and then at the distant dark clouds, taking steps towards the tower that led to Atlantis.

Throughout it all, she didn't pay any attention to anyone around her.

Sunderland, Carlo, Hegel, and the others quickly walked out of the hall, but before they could lock their gaze on the sudden figure, a beam of light appeared before their eyes...

Boom!

With the sound of an explosion, the half of the tower that covered the passage suddenly burst and disappeared.

This unimaginable power left Carlo, a member of the Golden Compass Council, dumbfounded - with just a raise of her palm, everything in front of her turned to ashes with the condensation and explosion of energy. And when her figure disappeared into the revealed dark cave, no one dared to step forward to stop her.

Because with that simple and brutal strike, the fleeting terrifying fluctuation had already announced her horrifying level.

However, there was no immediate response to this unexpected event. The members of the Golden Compass Council, who had gathered in the distance because of Leo, began to interfere.

As a long-standing and powerful council, it was absolutely normal for its members to have differing opinions. And for magic, there has never been an absolute consensus is the greatest characteristic of this rigorous and constantly progressive profession. Therefore, out of the total of eighteen council members, only ten were present among the mages currently in Lampard's territory.

Leo, the holder of the Sapphiron Staff and the bloodline of the Holy Cathedral, whose body was engraved with the Blessing of the Holy Cathedral magic array, had already surpassed the significance of being a mere human for the council.

In other words, his life and death were now linked to the Golden Compass Council - and interference was the council's way of intervening in large-scale wars.

At this moment, the ten mages were collectively casting a spell, with the aim of preventing the war that threatened Leo' organization, the Night Watch, and their territory.

Under Freud's guidance, assisted by the nine mages, a high-level spell that hadn't appeared in the human realm for a long time suddenly appeared in the air.

Carlo, on the ground, was responsible for coordinating and monitoring. In his field of vision, the dark sky above gradually revealed a touch of gold.

The magical fluctuations were unusually terrifying. Then, the spell released a deep but resounding horn sound that spread throughout the entire battlefield. The joint forces of Uther and the Gabriel Empire were preparing to attack, while the Baliche coalition, with less than a third of the enemy's forces, was preparing to defend. The two sides were three kilometers apart and already in a tense battle stance. However, when the horn sound, audible to over a hundred thousand people on the entire battlefield, spread across the land, both sides instinctively stopped in their tracks.

The holy mages of the Gabriel Empire flew up into the sky. Before they could react, they saw the originally gloomy sky suddenly descend with an immensely large golden light curtain!

The light curtain stretched across the entire outskirts of Xiselin City, but it was clear enough for the Uther sentries stationed at the Lampard border to see. Its width and height both exceeded a kilometer, and the clearly visible light curtain slowly revealed a pattern in the dark sky... A massive compass occupied the center, surrounded by countless intricate markings representing the emblems and personal identifiers of all the members of the Golden Compass Council throughout history. In the center of the compass was the word El加 written in the Law spell, symbolizing the existence of a higher Law council above the Golden Compass Council.

Its appearance made everyone on the battlefield who recognized this symbol hold their breath.

This was a scene that only appeared in recorded history, happening only a handful of times in the past thousand years—a group of individuals representing the highest magical power on this continent intervening in a large-scale military conflict. It may seem ridiculous, but those who understood the composition of the Golden Compass Council knew what it meant.

To cross this light curtain meant to become enemies of the Golden Compass Council.

Chapter 4

The high-end council, which seemed to have only a dozen people, was not as simple as it appeared. Forbidden spells? Even a hundred thousand-strong army would not need forbidden spells with just a dozen terrifying high-level magicians. They could simply have their own mage disciples blast any powerful army into pieces.

Similar situations have occurred in history. The Golden Compass Council once interfered in a conquest war that spread across almost the entire continent. At that time, the renowned Alexander the Great, who now ruled over more than four empires, became furious when he encountered resistance while capturing an empire. He ordered the massacre of the entire empire's civilians. The Golden Compass Council intervened, but it did not make the monarch reflect on his actions. He stubbornly sent his proud mage corps to try to fight against these inexplicably appearing mages.

The result was simple. Alexander the Great's mage corps was completely wiped out, along with the luxurious palace he had just built, turning into ashes. Since then, any interference from the Golden Compass Council has been left untouched by anyone.

At this moment, the commander almost immediately halted all forward movements and, after a few minutes, made the unanimous decision to abandon the battle.

Whether this was a temporary truce or fear of the Golden Compass Council, the battle did indeed temporarily stop due to the council's interference. However, this did not mean that Lampard's crisis had disappeared. In the distance, a swarm of blood bats and the visibly fluctuating Clement blood clan rushed forward like a dark cloud.

Overwhelming.

Carlo and Sunderland had already completed their mission, but obviously, the woman who had just entered Atlantis was too mysterious. They still hadn't decided whether to enter the underground city to investigate. However, faced with the possible attacks from the blood clan, the council's mission was still incomplete. To protect Leo, the protective screens of the ten mages in the sky gradually turned towards the blood clan.

The atmosphere in Xiselin City suddenly became extremely tense because of the menacing blood clan on the opposite side. They were far beyond the concept of a regular human army. Ten grand archmages stood in the sky with their staffs, but they couldn't help but feel the pressure.

Dukes and marquises of the blood clan were not terrifying to them, but they all felt the intimidating aura brought by the powerful presence within the dark cloud across from them... William Clement, the head of the Clement family, was flying towards them!

The grand archmages began to cast spells, strengthening their shields and constructing barriers. The Golden Compass Council's interference had not been used against the blood clan before, and whether these ancient beings would give face to a council much younger than them was uncertain. No mage held an optimistic mindset.

However, before they could finish casting their spells, an extremely small figure appeared in their field of vision. The elements were already prepared for an attack, but when the figure with a bare upper body gradually became clear, the mages immediately changed their attitude.

The reason was simple. The one who came was none other than the council's protected target, Leo!

Click!

Leo, who was flying at high speed, had returned to his peak state as a Level I Leo. He landed directly in front of the wooden house where he stored Yizuer's inheritance. Without saying a word, he rushed inside. It was clear that he posed no threat to Andalil, who was unarmed, but that didn't mean there was nothing that could harm a demon.

As Leo stepped out of the wooden house, holding the fragment of the Holy Spear, he saw a group of mages and core members of the Night Watch. The Lord who had experienced multiple life-and-death situations and managed to come back alive asked directly, Has anyone seen a woman—

He turned his head and saw the blown-up entrance to Atlantis. He immediately stopped in his tracks and looked towards the silent black knight behind Sunderland and Hegel.

Lana?

Leo opened his mouth. This female knight, who had once submitted to him through the power of the scepter, had died in the battle to protect Bob. How could she appear here now?

The scepter had been destroyed, and all its power had been transferred directly to Leo—including control over dark creatures and the former control... In other words, Lana, whose soul had never disappeared, was still loyal to Leo. When this master appeared in front of Lana, she stepped forward in her Kaelga Holy Armor, knelt down without a word, just as she had been loyal to Leo in the past.

The only difference was that she did not remove her helmet according to knightly etiquette.

After experiencing so much, Leo looked at this subordinate who could be said to have given her all for him and felt inexplicably moved. A thought flashed through his mind, but he suppressed it when he looked up and saw the bloodsuckers pressing against the distant barrier.

Stop any enemies from entering.

After Leo finished speaking, he ran directly towards the entrance of Atlantis and then jumped down without hesitation!

Just ten seconds later, accompanied by a loud explosion, everyone turned their heads towards the distance—the barrier that was over a kilometer long and wide had shattered in a massive impact!

This represents the Blood Clan's disregard for the warning from the Golden Compass Council.

Carlo immediately began casting his spell, providing ground support for his ten companions in the sky. The incantation began to chant, and halos of light appeared around him. However, in the distance, countless mocking bats flew straight into the area behind the light curtain, and hundreds of winged vampires had already begun fighting within the glow of the spell!

And the figure leading them flew straight towards Xiselin's Lord's Mansion, with an astonishing momentum.

Everyone on the scene, including Hegel, Lana, Sunderland, and even Karlo, felt the burning sensation like a volcano...

Click.

A figure gently landed in front of the Count's Mansion.

The dark-patterned red robe was extremely gorgeous, with a circular bone crown on top, deep eyes like the ocean, a calm expression but an undeniable dominance. William Clement, the first person of the sleepless Blood Clan, walked out of the legends of history in such an unstoppable posture, leading his own tribe to break through the defense line of the ten Golden Compass Council mages and landed in the center of Xiselin City.

Ah...

It seemed like it had been a long time since he had experienced fresh air. Prince William, with an elegant posture, raised his head and took a deep breath, fully displaying his noble temperament.

Carlo, a member of the Golden Compass Council, was first stunned, and then instantly displayed his power beyond level I - he pointed his staff at William in front of him, and the speed at which the elements condensed was beyond anyone's imagination!

The ground burst into red flames, and almost in the blink of an eye, four walls of fire blocked the front, back, left, and right of the Blood Clan. Then, a series of shockingly powerful and fast fireball spells were launched straight at them!

As the Phoenix Dean, Carlo's full-scale attack was truly overwhelming. After twelve fireball spells with power far beyond the ordinary, he followed up with three earth control spells that were no less than level thirty. The crystal energy seemed endless as Carlo stood in place, creating a vacuum zone where no one could approach. When all the available elements disappeared nearby and he used wind magic to float away, in the area that had been bombed black, William Clement slowly spread open his bat wings that had just closed.

The Golden Compass Council? It's been hundreds of years, and they haven't made any progress.

William, with a slightly aged but sharp face, dressed in a red robe that represented absolute power, was no longer at the level of a prince but had already ascended to the level of a king!

Just as Carlo raised his hand, he realized that his wand was already being held tightly by William's pale hand.

Crack!

The translucent white wand instantly shattered. Carlo, who was over 150 years old, was hit for the first time without even seeing the enemy's movement. Before the fragments of the wand could even touch the ground, the elemental shards that appeared after William shattered three layers of absolute protection were still floating in the air!

Carlo found his neck being gripped by William's hand.

No one can stop me.

The vampire king narrowed his eyes and extended his finger to the side. A force directly sent Sunderland, who was casting a spell, flying away!

He lifted Carlo as if throwing away garbage and flung him towards the main tower in the distance. The grand archmage standing at the pinnacle of the entire Baliche magical realm crashed straight into the hard wall without any parabolic trajectory!

Buzz—

All the buffer spells released by the surrounding mages saved Carlo from certain death, but William didn't seem to have the intention of wiping out everyone. He spread his wings and completely blocked the insignificant spells that were aimed at him, striding with determination towards the entrance of Atlantis.

Clang!

Suddenly, a long sword struck William's wings, emitting a faint blue light. Finally, he turned his head, which had never stopped moving.

The bat wings were undamaged, and Lana's soul attack posed no threat to him, despite its terrifying power.

I recognize this armor... He raised his finger and effortlessly caught Lana's second strike. The sword blade in his hand seemed insignificant, and the glow of soul energy was completely suppressed. But it shouldn't look like this.

Crack!

His finger bent, and the sword blade snapped. Before Lana could launch another attack, William's bat wings struck her, causing the heavily armored knight to crash into the house behind her, creating a massive hole!

Even after fusing with countless souls and reaching the I-level, Lana still couldn't pose any threat to William. It was evident that this vampire king had reached an unimaginable level of power. No one knew that he had possessed strength comparable to that of an Omega-level powerhouse since his battle with Bob!

His claim as a prince was nothing more than a smokescreen for the true power of the Clement family.

Standing at the edge of the cave leading to Atlantis, William squinted his eyes and took a step forward.

It's time to put an end to all of this.

Chapter 5

Compared to before, Leo, who entered Atlantis, was much stronger with his staff. However, he knew very well that it was not enough to contend with Andariel. But Leo, who held the fragment of the Holy Spear, understood that he had to take a risk. The consequences of Andariel opening the dimensional portal would be unimaginable... What would she summon? What kind of consequences would it cause? Either way, none of them would bring peace and stability.

But when Leo traversed the deep tunnel and appeared in the dark cave of Atlantis, the scene before him completely stunned him. The once peaceful underground world was no longer tranquil. In Leo's field of vision, there was a bright fire burning in the distance at Brest Castle, and in the farthest corner of the first underground world, there was a huge radiance emanating from the area that had been guarded by the Brest family and remained unexplored until now—a pale green glow revealed its true form!

Leo flew straight towards it, and along the way, he saw the destroyed Brest family castle reduced to ashes, countless vampire corpses,