In the city of Shalin, within the Great Taliro Desert.
Inside the supreme headquarters of the Imperial Expeditionary Force, Duoluo sat gathered with a cohort of high-ranking imperial officers for a joint council of war. Christina was also in attendance, serving as a "dragon research expert" familiar with the Red Dragon Sect.
Duoluo surveyed the room, his sharp gaze sweeping across the faces of every officer present. Resting his laced fingers on the table, he spoke in a low, resonant voice:
"Everyone gathered here is the pride of the Empire, warriors serving under the great Cinder Emperor. I trust you understand the immense significance of this war as well as I do—this marks the dawn of our imperial hegemony over the Feanso Continent, an indispensable step toward realizing the Grand Blueprint."
Duoluo dropped his hands, slamming them against the tabletop with a dull thud. His tone swelled with fervent passion, an unusual gleam flickering in his pale-gold eyes.
"If we win, the Cinder Empire will inherit the vast legacy of Holy Fadelan, becoming the largest and mightiest empire upon this land!
"Every one of us will thrust out our chests and hold our heads high with pride beneath the glory of the Empire. We shall reap raw materials from across the world, erecting skyscraper upon skyscraper and factory upon factory billowing with thick smoke. Humans, dwarves, elves, giants, orcs... those inferior races will toil relentlessly in our factories, everything they possess harnessed to produce abundant wealth for us!
"Poverty, hunger, and disease will be wiped out from our imperial homeland. We shall receive the most lavish treatment, revel in unparalleled wealth, and become the most confident and proud first-class citizens in this world.
"Before the Empire's guns and steel, all lesser races will tremble! And the people blessed with the Cinder bloodline shall become the eternal rulers of this world!" By the end, Duoluo raised his massive fist and shook it in the air.
Hearing this, the imperial officers grew wildly agitated, their hearts pounding as a rush of boiling blood surged through their veins.
"What a glorious future..."
"Magnificent!"
"This is the Grand Blueprint His Majesty Cassius painted for us! The world ought to spin according to the will of our Empire!"
This was the prevailing ideology among the hawkish faction of the Cinder Empire, predominantly pervasive throughout the imperial military. The army was largely comprised of steadfast, ideologically entrenched warriors of imperialism and monopoly capitalism.
In their minds, the so-called "Grand Blueprint" was precisely such a utopian world: one where the entire world's resources and labor existed solely to support a caste of imperial "Celestial Dragons."
Even an officer of serf origins like George was enraptured by the scene Duoluo depicted, entirely fascinated as though lost in a trance.
After a meteoric rise in rank and years of brutal military service, George had long been reshaped by the army into the archetype of an imperial soldier: valiant in combat, fearless of death, fanatically loyal to the Emperor, and holding nothing but utter contempt for nations beyond the Empire's borders.
At the same time, such men typically championed notions of freedom, equality, and the abolition of serfdom; yet, paradoxically, they harbored rigid, deep-seated class hierarchies. The phrase "equality for all above me, strict hierarchy for all below me" found its ultimate embodiment in them.
Then Duoluo's tone shifted, turning grave. "Yet if we lose... the world will grovel beneath the shadow of Tiamat's wings. That savage, foolish flock of chromatic dragons will reign over this land, plunging us into protracted, never-ending war.
"I believe every one of you knows what a glorious imperial citizen—a warrior who has received His Majesty Cassius's supreme grace—must do in this upcoming final war against the Cult of the Dragon!"
George was the first to spring to his feet. Clenching his fist over his heart, he bellowed with ringing conviction, "Our lives for the Empire! Our lives for His Majesty Cassius!"
Spurred by George's lead, the officers rose in unison, pressing their fists against their chests in the practiced Salute of Loyalty.
"For the Empire!"
"For His Majesty Cassius!" Their cries echoed in thunderous unity, suffused with unstoppable momentum.
Once everyone resumed their seats, a herald from the south activated a spell crystal. Innumerable particles of light drifted into the air, coalescing into a magical projection captured by Redscale Conqueror scouts.
Within the projection, the once-fertile Great Seleucia Plain had become a scorched expanse spanning thousands of li. Sluggish ribbons of lava flowed everywhere amidst charred ruins, while thick smoke blanketed the earth.
The searing magma crisscrossed the terrain, slowly meandering and carving the ground into fragmented ruins.
The sky above was blotted out by endless volcanic ash, casting the land into gloom. Even the sun was choked out by ash, unable to cast down a single ray of light. It was as though the world had fallen into eternal night.
Among the ruins of towns, human remains were visible, frozen in the postures they held just before the lava engulfed them—contorted, struggling, arms raised high. Yet their flesh had long since blackened, fully carbonized into statues carved from coal.
The herald explained, "This is the land ravaged by the natural calamity Kazul summoned. We refer to it as the 'Doomsday Forbidden Zone.' It is estimated to stretch over three hundred kilometers across and has claimed the lives of more than five million people."
Christina froze, her eyes widening slightly, her expression flickering between dismay and apprehension. "To think he went this far! It seems... the final ritual is close at hand."
"Cassius above..."
"Southern Seleucia has actually been reduced to this!"
"Has that red dragon gone mad? This was the Cult of the Dragon's own occupied territory! He slaughtered every soul living here!"
"Don't they need logistical supplies? As expected of the Mother of Evil Dragons' chosen—a truly brutal, lunatic monster!"
Though the imperial officers were accustomed to magma and flame, they were still shaken by this scene of apocalyptic devastation.
After all, this was hundreds of kilometers of charred wasteland, home to countless living beings, all drowned by Kazul. In the eyes of that great wyrm red dragon, mortals were perhaps no more than ants, but to the imperials, those humans were immensely valuable labor.
One could only say that their foe had vastly exceeded their expectations—an out-and-out madman.
Duoluo watched for a moment before asking the herald, "Did our scouts not venture deeper inside to investigate?"
The herald answered, "Of course we did, but the environment of the Seleucia Plain is now extraordinarily hostile. The ground is riddled with rivers of scalding magma, while the upper atmosphere is choked with volcanic ash. Ordinary creatures cannot survive within it; they suffocate to death within minutes.
"As of now, that land is a zone devoid of life. Aside from fire elementals, no ordinary mortal creature can survive there.
"Even flying at low altitude, our scouts struggle to traverse it. The air is thick with smoke and visibility is abysmal, making it all too easy to lose one's bearings. So far, we dispatched seventeen Redscale Conquerors, and only two were fortunate enough to return alive. The other fifteen are missing."
Duoluo frowned. "Don't our scouts carry directional instruments with them?"
The herald explained, "That domain is shrouded in some extremely chaotic field. The moment one enters, all our instruments fail, and some even explode on the spot, as if caught in a magical turbulence.
"Moreover, the wyverns fall into states of panic and terror. Unable to rely on their instincts for navigation, they cannot cross an expanse hundreds of li wide."
"What about teleportation spells?"
"Can we not simply traverse space and pierce through the region with large-scale magical teleportation?"
The herald shook his head with a bitter smile. "The Weave in that area is far too turbulent, and space is warping and shifting constantly. Our spellcasters cannot determine precise spatial coordinates in the short term. It will take at least three months of preparation to construct a viable spell model, and by then..."
"By then, Kazul will have already completed the ritual and brought the Chromatic Dragon Queen down upon the mortal realm."
Christina added grimly, her expression sour.
Duoluo remained unwilling to give up, pressing on relentlessly. "Can we not break through from another direction?
"For instance, by passing through the Kingdom of Cassander? Just like the story of the 'Maginot Line' His Majesty once told us—breaking through the eastern forests, bypassing the Doomsday Forbidden Zone, and striking directly at the heart of the Red Dragon Sect..."
The herald replied helplessly, "We've already contacted the Kingdom of Cassander to the east and the Moria Dwarf Kingdom to the south, but both have discovered the presence of the 'Doomsday Forbidden Zone' along their borders as well.
"I suspect Kazul has encircled all of southern Seleucia with magma and ash, walling himself within and shutting out every surrounding power, completely severing all communication with the outside world."
George stared at the magical projection hovering in the air and said solemnly, "Marshal Duoluo, the situation is far graver than we anticipated.
"It appears the 'Crimson Cinders' never planned to face us in open battle at all. He didn't even deign to assemble an army of mortals. The 'Doomsday Forbidden Zone' he forged through his own sheer might is the Red Dragon Sect's ultimate line of defense."
Duoluo's face darkened, shifting between frustration and doubt. "Yet if we don't even know who the enemy is, are we just supposed to watch Kazul complete his ritual?"
Just then, the divine spell consultant accompanying the army stepped forward, speaking calmly: "Kazul has not yet ascended to true divinity. According to our research, it is impossible for him to maintain absolute control over a cataclysm spanning thousands of li on his own."
"Marshal Duoluo,"
Christina stepped forward as well, following up:
"Long ago, Kazul established a church of his own. He had numerous renowned chosen who walked the earth on his behalf, controlling natural disasters in various lands. Perhaps... these chosen could serve as our coalition's breakthrough."
Duoluo pondered for a moment, then let out a soft sigh. "I will issue quests to the Starfallen, sending them into the Doomsday Forbidden Zone to gather intelligence and find a way across.
"Furthermore... I must report this matter to His Majesty Cassius." As he spoke, Duoluo looked toward the north, a solemn weight settling in his gaze.
...
The Cinder Empire, the Great Anzetta Waste, Dragonblood Mountain.
"Your Majesty, all soldiers of the expeditionary force will exert every effort, sparing no cost, to find a way through the Doomsday Forbidden Zone and completely eradicate the remnants of the Red Dragon Sect..."
"I understand. You may leave."
Cassius idly skimmed through the intelligence reports from the south, lost in thought. "Ending the old era, destroying the world, purging all things... What familiar doctrine. Could this great wyrm red dragon be aiming to seize Garyx's divine throne?"
His eyes glinted, a thick thread of murderous intent rising within his pale-golden pupils.
Garyx was the dragon god of destruction, known as the Lord of Fire, the All-Destroying, and the Cleanser of Worlds. His divine domains were fire, destruction, and renewal; yet tens of thousands of years ago, this deity had descended into madness.
And for Cassius, who possessed the Heart of Garyx, Garyx's portfolio was the best fit and the easiest to claim.
Yet Cassius quickly dismissed the notion. In the original storyline, Kazul had devoured the other two great wyrms, gathered the three divine corpses, and transformed into a tricolored dragon—only for his body to be usurped by Tiamat.
Now, Kazul was Tiamat's sole remaining anchor in the Material Plane. She would never let him go—after all, this was her final opportunity to descend upon the mortal realm.
"A Doomsday Forbidden Zone, is it...?"
Cassius let out a cold sneer and slowly stood, his colossal frame rising like an erupting volcano. "Such a trick can only halt mere mortals. I'd like to see how Kazul intends to block me."
The Red Dragon Emperor snapped his wings open. The surging divine power within him spilled out, turning into shimmering motes of light that drifted through the air as an overpowering aura rolled outward.
Instantly, the entirety of Dragonblood Mountain began to quake violently. Lava as red as fresh blood gushed from fissures in the rock. Cassius threw back his head and unleashed a resounding roar.
A blazing crimson beam tore through the clouds and pierced the sky, seeming to rip open a long, deep scar across the heavens. Its terrifying grandeur compelled countless people near Dragonblood Mountain to lift their heads in awe.
"Long live His Majesty Cassius!"
"Praise the Cinder Emperor!"
"It is His Majesty! His Majesty has displayed his supreme might once again!
"They say whoever beholds the flames breathed by His Majesty will be blessed with wealth for the coming year!"
The imperial citizens near Dragonblood Mountain were swept with emotion, many dropping to their knees in devout prayer as they belted out the stirring Song of Cassius.
"His Majesty bids mountain springs to flow across the plains, bringing gentle seasonal rains to nourish all under heaven..."
Amid the synchronized singing and bathed in the firelight, the citizens' faces shone with growing reverence and fanaticism. Strands of faith rose from their bodies, drifting toward the distant Red Dragon Emperor.
Yet unlike the wretched souls who worshipped Kazul, these faithful of the Emperor would not be consumed by magma and ash. Cassius needed them as anchors, and they needed the Cinder Emperor as their faith—and the guardian of their empire.
Chapter 834