Many years ago, in a highly anticipated national swordsmanship final.
The young Kairos, using an imperfect and extremely risky self-created skill, unexpectedly defeated another opponent who was highly experienced and a favorite to win.
The judges and the audience erupted in enthusiastic cheers, ready to grant him the title of 'Unrivaled Sword' on the spot.
However, he raised his hand and refused this glory that many warriors dreamed of.
In front of everyone present, he said: "Remember this, I am the 'Unfinished Sword'. Wait until the day I become the strongest Sword Saint and truly achieve the name of 'Unrivaled' before you cheer for me."
This incident allowed him to show his talent for the first time, gaining him some small fame.
Until recently, he had successfully advanced to become a respected Legendary Sword Saint, yet he still hadn't changed his title from 'Unfinished Sword'. Clearly, this legend had even greater ambitions and pursuits, unsatisfied with the status quo.
At this moment, Marquis Marcus looked at the Legendary Sword Saint and spoke.
"Nearly thirty years of brutal civil war almost made us forget that the sharp fangs of the wilderness have never truly fallen out. It has always been sharpening them in the shadows, waiting for its chance."
His voice was low and raspy, carrying a hint of anger, sounding exceptionally clear in the quiet room.
"Except for the northeast, our bases in the Serel Wilderness, which we painstakingly built over hundreds of years, have been almost completely uprooted by those savage natives! This is a massive loss and a great disgrace, unprecedented in the history of the Kingdom of Theo's expansion."
"Those wilderness natives are truly audacious, seeking their own deaths!"
The civil war, which lasted decades and ultimately failed to seize the expected benefits while wasting the nation's strength, left the high-ranking officials of the Southern Kingdoms, including the Kingdom of Theo, with a pent-up frustration they had nowhere to vent.
Now, Marquis Marcus seemed to have found a suitable outlet.
If they couldn't defeat the Lothern Kingdom with its reappeared Holy King, could they not handle those ignorant and backward wilderness natives?
"According to the analysis of intelligence gathered from all sides, this does not seem to be a scattered act of tribal resistance."
Marquis Marcus's finger tapped heavily on the glaring red area on the map.
"Ruling the Northwest and Central Regions is the so-called 'King of Molten Iron'. He has integrated a large number of monster tribes and even Dragons under his command. They are well-trained and powerful, and have even developed organized, systematic alchemical armaments. Their level of organization far exceeds that of ordinary monster groups."
"And the 'Mushroom King' who occupies the southern region of the wilderness is also not to be underestimated."
"So far, no reliable intelligence has revealed its true form; all we can see is its army of fungal monsters."
"In contrast, the Mountain King entrenched in the northeast—a giant who fled from the Selesia continent—has behaved quite obediently."
Marquis Marcus assessed the situation in the wilderness.
Beside him, the Legendary Sword Saint Kairos stood with his arms crossed, his posture relaxed yet carrying a restrained sharpness.
His gaze was as sharp as a sword, as if it could pierce through the map and look directly at that chaotic land.
"The entire Serel Wilderness, in theory, should be the territory for future expansion and conquest by civilized nations."
Kairos said indifferently, "Those entrenched beasts, uncivilized monsters, and those two—the Dragon and the Mushroom—who emerged from some dark corner, think they are worthy of calling themselves kings?"
"They are openly challenging the dignity of the Kingdom and trampling on the bottom line of civilization."
Hearing this, Marquis Marcus nodded slowly, deeply in agreement.
He stood up, walked with steady steps to the huge map, and pressed his finger heavily on several crimson areas in the northwest, center, and south.
"We can't let this go on any longer."
"We must make those ignorant wilderness scum understand who the true Sovereign of the Serel Wilderness is."
"The Department of Foreign Strategy has already drafted a plan and submitted it to His Majesty the King. It has been decided to conduct a clearing operation in the Serel Wilderness. The goal is to take back all our bases, seize more new resource points, and make those monsters who dare to provoke us pay a price in blood."
As he spoke, Marquis Marcus turned his gaze toward the Unfinished Sword standing quietly nearby.
"Kairos, whether in terms of strength, prestige, or understanding of the wilderness, you are the best candidate to execute this purge—the only one."
"I will immediately request formal authorization from His Majesty for you to personally lead a team back to the Serel Wilderness."
"The objective this time is very clear: execute the so-called 'King of Molten Iron' and 'Mushroom King', destroy their Dragon flights and fungal legions, retake and consolidate our control over the wilderness, and restore the glory of the Kingdom of Theo."
The Legendary Sword Saint's mouth twitched, letting out an ambiguous 'tsk'.
"The civil war has just ended, the Federation has been dissolved, the country is in a state of neglect, and there are many internal conflicts. His Majesty is probably quite overwhelmed right now."
"Back then, choosing to form a close alliance with the Kingdom of Ripos to advance and retreat together... looking at it now, it really wasn't a wise choice."
His words seemed to lack sufficient respect for the monarch of a nation.
However, any Legendary existence is the foundation upon which a kingdom stands, a precious resource that needs to be carefully maintained.
A Legendary powerhouse, even if they criticize the king in private, will usually not face any substantial punishment as long as they don't do anything that truly harms the core interests of the kingdom.
This is a privilege brought by power.
"The world is unpredictable. Who could have thought that the Holy King, who should have passed away long ago, was actually not dead?"
Marquis Marcus lowered his voice.
"If not for that, our Kingdom of Theo could have seized more benefits from this civil war and pushed our national power a step further."
He paused, changing the subject and lowering his voice even further: "Kairos, you were there during the Battle of Waldo Royal City. You witnessed that scene with your own eyes."
"In your judgment... do you think the Holy King has truly been resurrected? Or is there something else going on?"
The Legendary Sword Saint's expression became serious.
He pondered for a moment and slowly shook his head.
"I don't know."
He answered very bluntly: "As soon as the Holy King acted, he killed two Legends with overwhelming force, and both were senior Legends with Levels higher than mine. I completely fail to understand the Domain and that level of power he displayed at the time."
"Perhaps he really did take that crucial step."
"Perhaps his death back then was just an illusion, a form of hibernation."
"Otherwise, with his aging human body, it would be impossible for him to still maintain such incredibly powerful strength."
Hearing this, Marquis Marcus's brow furrowed tightly, forming deep creases.
He asked: "Then, is there another possibility... that it was just some trump card the Holy King left behind before his death, containing great power but only usable once? Is the Lothern Kingdom actually bluffing, using his lingering prestige to intimidate the other nations?"
Sword Saint Kairos nodded: "Of course that's a possibility, and the likelihood isn't low."
But his tone immediately shifted, a half-smile appearing on his face as he said: "But the problem is, do you dare to bet on that possibility? I certainly don't, and I believe our King, as well as the rulers of other kingdoms, probably don't dare to bet easily either."
"If we bet wrong, the price will be the destruction of the entire nation."
Marquis Marcus chuckled twice, his laughter sinister.
"What's fake can never become real."
"Even if the nations are currently afraid of the Holy King's power and don't dare to act rashly, as time passes, someone will eventually be unable to resist testing him."
"If the Holy King hasn't truly been resurrected, or if his state isn't as perfect as it seems, Lothern's bluff will eventually show a crack."
"We just need to wait and see."
After years of major war, although the nations finally won nominal autonomy, they did not gain more of the territory, resources, or other substantive benefits they had anticipated.
Overall, after this internal exhaustion, the losses of each country were even more severe.
The nations are currently forced into hibernation by the Holy King's reappearance and his thunderous methods, not daring to cross the line.
But how long can this peace based on fear last?
Especially since there are rumors that the Kingdom of Ripos seems to have unknown support behind it; those powerful armaments that suddenly appeared in the war didn't seem like part of its own inherent reserves.
"Forget it, let's not talk about these matters with such broad implications for now."
"The target we need to focus on currently is the Serel Wilderness."
Marquis Marcus waved his hand as if to dispel those complex thoughts. He looked back at Kairos, his tone returning to its previous decisiveness.
"Kairos, prepare yourself in advance."
"Regarding using troops against the wilderness, reclaiming lost territory, and demonstrating national power—the King will surely authorize and approve such things. It won't be long before you should return to that land you once guarded for many years."
The corners of Kairos's mouth curled slightly, forming a confident and cold smile.
"I look forward to it," he said.
"It's a good chance to meet those wilderness monsters that the ignorant natives call 'Kings' and see if their heads are a bit harder than those of ordinary monsters."
To him, returning to the Serel Wilderness was as familiar as going home.
Before advancing to Legend, he had long guarded the wilderness border. With the sword in his hand, he had made numerous fierce monster tribes afraid to show their faces, firmly suppressing their space of activity.
Now, he had stepped into the Legendary Realm, and his life level had undergone a qualitative leap.
To kill those crude monsters who only knew how to rely on instinct and brute force would, in his mind, only be easier—like cutting through grass and vegetables.
Meanwhile.
The Borderlands, Dragon Valley, Burning Steel Fortress.
The Red-Iron Dragon stood on the edge of a tall observation deck, gazing at the howling wind and snow sweeping across the sky.
At the same time, he calmed his mind and touched the kin connection in his heart.
He had already asked Deborah and the others about the general situation of the tribe in recent years.
However, they stayed in The Borderlands year-round and did not know enough about the specific details of what was happening outside, especially in the Serel Wilderness.
Garros still needed to talk to those Dragons who were directly located in the wilderness, on the front lines.
Before long, with the Iron Dragon Sorog acting as the spiritual node, the consciousnesses of the Red Dragon Samantha and the Iron Dragon Gorton also converged within this mental world one after another.
The Iron Dragon Mother, who also shared a blood connection, was not summoned this time.
After all, she was an ally of the Ignas Dragon Flight and possessed her own independent territory and vassal system, rather than being a core member of the Molten Iron Tribe.
There was no need to inform her of certain conversations involving the tribe's internal affairs.
Once the spiritual connection stabilized and all participants were present, Garros got straight to the point.
He said, "What noteworthy events occurred during my slumber? Tell me what you know."
Neither Red Dragon Samantha nor Iron Dragon Gorton particularly liked such formal reporting occasions.
In the end, it was the most steady and meticulous Iron Dragon, Solrog, who recounted the important events he had already organized and summarized, following a clear timeline with logical structure and order.
Some time later.
Through Solrog's narrative, Garros had gained a clear understanding of the critical events that had transpired during his twenty-nine years of slumber.
These included changes in the Abyss, the end of the Southern Federation's civil war, and the reappearance of the Holy King of Lothern.
After a moment of contemplation.
The Red-Iron Dragon turned his gaze toward the consciousness representing the Iron Dragon Gorton within the mental network.
In the mental world, the appearance of a consciousness could roughly reflect the true state of the original body.
At this moment, Gorton's image still showed a thick layer of fat beneath his scales, but clear and powerful muscle definition was also visible, revealing a formidable draconic posture.
In terms of sheer bulk and stature, he was now second only to Garros among the siblings.
Garros asked directly, "Gorton, you were in the Lothern Royal City before; did you see that 'resurrected' Holy King with your own eyes?"
Gorton's spiritual fluctuations immediately became active.
He said, "That's right, I saw him with my own eyes! He stepped out from an endless light, and then, with just one move, he easily killed two Legendary powerhouses with overwhelming force. Immediately after, he announced the dissolution of the Federation, leaving the once-aggressive Allied Forces of the Kingdoms too intimidated to cross the line, and they eventually retreated to their respective homelands."
When the Lothern Federation still existed in its entirety, the Holy King's prestige was like the midday sun, unmatched by anyone.
Garros was not surprised that he possessed such powerful deterrence.
The question was... was the Holy King truly resurrected?
The step the Holy King had attempted to break through back then was far more difficult than a mortal ascending to Legendary Level. Even the powerful Gold Dragon King had ultimately failed. With his already aging human body, the probability of success would only have been lower.
Of course, there was another possibility.
He hadn't died at all back then. The so-called signs of his passing were merely because he had been severely injured by a failed attempt to reach a higher level, and he had been quietly recovering and healing since then.
However, although this king had always been known for his benevolence, to pardon the invading enemies so easily...
Was this... perhaps too generous?
Tracing his path to power, there was never a shortage of decisive, iron-blooded, and ruthless deeds.
If Garros had been in that position himself, he would have at least killed every single invading enemy Legendary to make an example of them.
Of course, this was perhaps just his perspective as a dragon, taking things too much for granted.
He was not human now, so it was normal that he couldn't fully understand decisions made under complex political weights.
Perhaps the Holy King, as his age and power increased, had truly reached some transcendent Realm, growing weary of slaughter and becoming more benevolent, compassionate, and peace-loving.
Garros temporarily suppressed these thoughts.
He asked again, "So, in the three years since the Holy King's reappearance, has he made any other public appearances? Or has he vanished from sight once more?"
The Iron Dragon Gorton nodded and responded affirmatively, "Yes, he has appeared."
"During these three years, he has appeared intermittently a few times, mostly within the Royal Academy or the palace, guiding his own children and descendants in their cultivation and administrative duties. However, each appearance is very brief, as if he is unwilling to interfere too much with the Royal Court."
"Furthermore, there are some unconfirmed rumors within the Royal Court saying that the Holy King was able to reappear in the world because his research into 'Immortality Techniques' achieved a key breakthrough, though it is not yet fully successful."
"Therefore, most of his energy is still focused on devotedly perfecting the technique of immortality, leaving him no time for other matters."
This sounded like a fairly reasonable explanation that could account for why he returned from the dead and why his movements were so secretive and infrequent.
However, being reasonable did not mean it could eliminate all suspicions and conjectures.
Nevertheless, Garros did not press the matter further.
He knew very well that time would eventually provide all the answers.
Whatever the true situation of that Holy King was, it would eventually be revealed to the world as time passed.
Whether the Southern Kingdoms could maintain this fragile peace or if the flames of war would rise again remained to be seen.
"By the way, I have an important discovery."
Gorton's spirit suddenly became serious and solemn, breaking the brief silence.
He said, "Recently, through observation and reflection, I have grasped a fundamental truth."
Garros nodded slightly, signaling him to continue.
And so, with a hint of pride and mystery, Gorton solemnly proposed his [Fatalism].
"Strength, talent, hard work... even wisdom and opportunity—in my view, these are all secondary!"
"The most critical, core, and important thing is—Mandate!"
"Look at this world. Some people give their all and exhaust a lifetime of effort yet cannot create even a ripple in the river of fate. Meanwhile, others can change the winds and clouds and affect the entire world's landscape with just a random thought or an unintentional act."
"Where is the root of all this difference? It is all related to the 'Mandate' they carry!"
"As long as you bear a powerful Mandate, then no matter how humble your birth or how mediocre your talent, you will inevitably achieve remarkable success under the influence and push of a series of seemingly accidental but actually inevitable events."
"Mandate is what matters most. Compared to it, everything else is insignificant."
The Iron Dragon Gorton spoke slowly, his spiritual fluctuations filled with confidence.
Setting aside whether it was correct or not.
His argument, at first hearing, did seem to have some merit, potentially explaining many of the incomprehensible disparities in fortune within the world.
Garros looked sideways slightly, seeing this usually unreliable younger dragon brother in a new light. He felt that after experiencing the events in the Royal City, Gorton seemed to have grown quite a bit to be able to comprehend such a seemingly profound theory.
He asked, "How did you come to this realization?"
Then, Gorton puffed out his chest and announced word by word.
"Because, after my repeated verification and reflection, I am certain—I, Gorton, am the Dragon Destined by Heaven!"
In the mental network, it was as if an invisible cold wind had blown through, instantly plunging it into silence.
Garros was momentarily speechless, silently withdrawing the evaluation of his brother's growth he had just made.
The next moment, Red Dragon Samantha's laughter rang out.
"Wahahaha! Gorton! What kind of clumsy dragon joke is that? Haha, if you wanted to amuse everyone, you've succeeded brilliantly. I'm about to crack my scales laughing at your ridiculous confidence!"
Faced with Samantha's mockery, Iron Dragon Gorton did not get angry, nor did he show even a hint of embarrassment.
Instead, he became even more earnest and began to explain and prove his Mandate with clear logic.
"Think back carefully. Doesn't my past experience perfectly confirm this?"
"No matter what I encounter, don't I always end up turning danger into safety, averting disaster, and even gaining blessings in disguise?"
"For instance, when I was young and unfortunately drifted away, I was adopted by the Lothern Royal Court, accompanied the princess, and enjoyed nearly a hundred years of luxury and wealth. Is that not the favor of Mandate?"
"Another example: when the Lothern Royal City was on the verge of falling and in imminent peril."
"I had originally made up my mind to run away alone to save myself. But at the last moment, I hesitated and ultimately chose to stay. And it was precisely at this critical juncture that the Holy King reappeared, turned the tide, and the Kingdom of Lothern was preserved."
At this point, Gorton paused for a moment and then uttered another outrageous claim.
"I even have a strong feeling that if my resolve had been firm and I had truly succeeded in escaping, then... the Holy King might not have appeared, and the Lothern Royal City might have actually fallen."
He was very serious as he said, "In other words, the Holy King's existence, and whether he appeared at that specific time, likely has some fated connection with my decision to flee the Royal City or not."
"When I hadn't made a final decision, he might have been alive, or he might not have been."
"He was in a state of superposition determined by me!"
"If I leave, he doesn't exist; if I stay, he exists."
The mental network once again fell into a deathly silence.
This time, it wasn't just Solrog who remained silent; even the usually sharp-tongued Red Dragon Samantha, who excelled at mocking Gorton, was momentarily speechless by Gorton's bizarre ideas, not knowing how to refute them.
Or rather, she didn't know where to even begin criticizing.
"This guy has formed his own self-consistent logic around his Fatalism."
Garros felt a sense of wordlessness in his heart.
"How is it that the dragons around me are each so... uniquely talented?"
This thought flashed through his mind involuntarily.
"Could it be that, hmm... I am actually the true Dragon Destined by Heaven?"
As soon as this absurd thought popped up, Garros laughed at himself, gently shaking his head to dispel such a ridiculous notion.