Burning Empire, Anstika region, top of Dragon Blood Mountain.

The air was still filled with the smell of sulfur, and the scorching heat made the air a little distorted. Flickering sparks and ashes were flying in the air.

On the cliff that looks like a ferocious dragon's head, a majestic palace carved out of solidified lava rises from the ground.

And here is the current residence of Cassius Klauberu Noriksus, the supreme emperor of the Burning Empire and the common master of the dragon-blooded nobles.

If there were divine creatures or high-level spellcasters here, they would be surprised to find that the pure faith of millions of people gathered and entangled here like threads, like the roots of the world tree.

Such a strong power of faith is not inferior even to those of real gods.

According to word of mouth among the people of the Empire, the status of the Burning Emperor has long surpassed that of a simple "ruler" and has become a god-like existence on earth.

The brand new Dragon Blood Mountain, the highest peak in Anzeta, which was built by Emperor Burning Cinders himself, was also dubbed the "Holy Mountain" by the people of the empire.

Every morning, devout people would kneel three times in the direction of Dragon Blood Mountain, chanting the "Hymn of Cassius" to show their loyalty to His Majesty.

Even those crazy Starfallers often kowtow in the direction of Dragon Blood Mountain. Some choose to pay tribute to the Dragon Oath Temple, and some even kowtow until their heads are broken and bleeding.

However, they often muttered incomprehensible words such as "Your Majesty, please bless me to ship the goods" and "Breathe the dragon's energy".

Fortunately, the people of the empire have long been accustomed to it and have figured out the temperaments of these Fallen Stars. No matter what they do, the people will not feel strange.

Even if the Falling Stars took off their clothes and ran naked on the spot, people would just look up and then go about their own business - the security team would soon take them away.

Inside the palace, a gigantic red dragon that was over 40 meters long pressed its wings tightly against its body, exhaled a puff of sulfur-smelling smoke, and its thick long tail swayed gently.

Cassius lowered his head, staring at the drops of blood in front of him that were refined by the silver-white flames, and could not help but let out a happy whistle.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to see my strength steadily improving.”

As he swallowed the blood, fire surged in his basal blood vessels. Cassius felt a warmth flowing down his throat and spreading to his tail and the ends of his wings.

You have to know that for the current red dragon, even magma is just ordinary bath water, and the wildfire of purgatory is just a plaything in his claws.

There are probably not many things in the entire material plane that can make Cassius feel "hot", which is enough to show the terrifying temperature of the ancestral dragon blood.

If an ordinary object gets close to it, it will probably burn itself to ashes or even vaporize on the spot before it even touches the blood.

"call--"

As Cassius exhaled, a scorching wind swept over the top of the mountain, distorting the sky.

The dragon's body, which was over forty meters long, trembled slightly, rising and falling slowly with its breathing, and it seemed to have expanded a little visibly.

[Ancestral dragon blood concentration + 0.001%]
Feeling the power filling his body, Cassius's mouth curled up. He slowly got up from the ground, shook the wings behind him slightly, then turned his head to look at the side wall of the palace.

——On the rock wall, there is a huge map, nearly two meters long. It is made of the skin of a whole multi-headed fire snake lizard and is a treasure tribute from the Fire Elemental Plane Colony.

The map showed the whole picture of the continent of Feanso, with various forces marked in detail, and even showed the forms of different planes such as Mount Heaven, the Nine Layers of Hell, the Abyss, and the Howling Tunnel.

On the surface of the map, magical light spots floated everywhere, containing millions of confidential data, all of which were suggestions and strategies given by the Empire's think tank.

According to Trump, they just want to contribute their small part to the Red Dragon's "grand blueprint" to ensure the steady progress of the empire's conquest and expansion.

Wherever Cassius looked, the light spots storing words suddenly bloomed, revealing densely packed words that made him feel a little dazzled.

The Conquest of Thracian Kingdom

The Serenia Intervention Guide

Occupy Victoria Harbour

《Alpine Dwarf Kingdom Annexation Plan》

Looking at the map covered with complicated plans, Cassius shook his head and couldn't help but marvel at it:

"Tsk tsk, the so-called grand blueprint was just a pie in the sky that I casually drew back then, but these followers actually made it for me.

It really saves me a lot of effort, but..."

Cassius stretched out his huge claws and pressed on the upper part of the map.

In an instant, the northern part of the continent, including the Thracian Kingdom, the Mountain Dwarf Kingdom, the Free Trade Federation and many other forces, were covered by his giant claws.

Looking at the [Knowledge (Future)] proficiency item on the panel, Cassius raised his lips and said softly, "They can't see the future."

As a former veteran player of Erezega, Cassius is well aware of the major events in Clash of Kings - such as the war between orcs and dwarves, the coup in Serenia, the invasion of the Mind Flayers in Victoria Harbor, and the
And these are just the tip of the iceberg. There are endless disputes and entanglements hidden in the dark corners of the continent.

After the fall of the Fadlan Empire, gods and demons were rampant on the continent of Feanso, and various forces wanted to get a piece of the pie in this chaotic situation.

Cassius once had no confidence in Fianso, but now, after years of dormancy and development, he has become the emperor of a vast empire.

Thinking of this, Kaixiu suddenly felt a little emotional. He gently stroked the huge map, his claws sweeping across the vast territory of the empire, and whispered:
"It's time to truly set foot in Feianso. Only in this era of strife can the empire have a chance to stand out."

Cassius believed that in the near future, he would lead the empire to the top of Feanso and establish world hegemony.

However, the Red Dragon has already created the Burning Empire, which has completely changed the fate of Anzeta - and this will also have a profound impact on the situation on the continent of Feanso.

In the original history, with the help of players, the northern countries successfully resisted the invasion of the abyss, but that was all.

As a magical wilderness and a remote area not valued by the people on the mainland, the northern countries are simply unable to intervene in the disputes in the south and can only stay in a corner.

When a butterfly flaps its wings, a storm occurs in the Atlantic Ocean.

But what Cassius did was far more than just the flapping of a butterfly's wings; it was like a dragon flapping its wings, creating a terrifying gale in Fianso.

There was a faint light flickering in Cassius's pale golden pupils. His gaze swept across the entire continent of Feanso, and a hint of greed revealed in the depths of his vertical pupils.

“However, some things will never change, and they are bound to happen—such as the war between the three kingdoms.

Humans, elves, orcs, dwarves, naga, giants.
As the center of the main material plane, this continent is home to hundreds of intelligent races, giving rise to a rich and colorful culture and countless spectacular relics.

The red dragon turned around and walked out of the lava palace calmly. Then it spread its broad wings and let out a powerful roar.

"I have traveled to Erezega for more than ten years. It is time to see the various styles of the continent of Fianso."

Cassius looked towards the south, light surging in his light golden vertical pupils, with dragon shadows appearing in them, and scorching tongues of fire swirling around him, gradually condensing.

"Ow—"

Overlapping roars resounded through the sky, and two red dragons appeared in front of Cassius, roaring towards the sky together.

Their appearance is exactly the same as Cassius, but they are several times smaller, only about thirty meters long from head to the tip of the tail.

Even his abilities are exactly the same as Cassius's, but his strength is only 1/3 of his.

This is the effect of the Seven-Ring Dragon Spell - [Dragon Shadow Simulacrum]. These two dragon shadow clones are replicas of Cassius, carrying his will, memory and all his abilities.

“It’s a wonderful feeling.”

Cassius slowly closed his eyes, carefully feeling the subtle sensation of controlling several bodies at the same time.

This was Cassius' plan: let his main body stay in Dragon Blood Mountain to absorb the ancestral dragon veins and steadily improve his strength, and send his clone to sneak into the mainland and plunder everything by virtue of his foresight.

Under his control, the two red dragon clones flapped their wings, stirred up a scorching gale, and roared into the air.

They easily tore through space with their sharp claws, creating burning fire portals that flew in different directions outside the empire.

——Their targets were Victoria Harbor in the southwest of the empire, adjacent to Moon Bay, and the Black Stone Mountains in the southeast.

Gazing at the two red dragon clones gradually moving away, Cassius raised the corners of his mouth, revealing his sharp fangs, his light golden pupils full of anticipation.

He whispered softly: "Go, carry my will, and stir up the world's situation."

Burning Empire, Istalia City.

The people in the city were still immersed in the ceremony of a few days ago, and seemed to have not yet emerged from the enthusiastic and carnival atmosphere. The chorus of "Ode to Cassius" still echoed in the city.

"Your Majesty is like the sun in the sky, and we are like the seeds on the ground, shining endlessly on the earth, and growing vigorously until we finally become seedlings."

Whenever a dragon-blood noble with dragon scales and golden pupils passed by, people would cheer enthusiastically and rush to congratulate them.

Guarded by soldiers and surrounded by the crowd, the dragon-blood nobles strode across the Emperor's Avenue with their heads held high. They waved to the crowd and enjoyed the people's welcome along the way.

On this auspicious day of receiving the title, the Dragon Blood nobles were in a particularly good mood. They even threw out a dozen silver nars as a response to people.

"Long live the Empire!"

"Long live His Majesty Cassius!"

"A Salute to Our War Heroes!"

The salutes blasted, flowers fell, and the cheers and shouts of the people of the empire came one after another like waves.

The starfaller named "I'm going to eat steamed buns" was in high spirits. He raised his arms high and shouted to the crowd: "Come on! Shout my name loudly!"

"Shout with me, Mantou——"

"Steamed bun!"

"Steamed bun!"

The people of the empire did not know the meaning of the name, but they could not resist the enthusiastic atmosphere and started shouting.

Mantou was quite content.

I got some video material that can highlight my majestic image!

Abiel, the elf from Serenia, was also in the team. She smiled and waved to the people of the empire. As the only elf among them, she stood out a little.

Abil sighed softly, "Casius, this is such a harmonious scene."

As a convert to the Empire, Abil's memories of the past were so vague, like discontinuous images.

She only knew that she had sneaked into the empire as a spy, was captured by His Majesty himself, and became a prisoner. Then, under the dedicated teaching of the Imperial Reform Camp, Abil gradually understood the hypocrisy of those so-called "righteous people" and personally felt the changes that the empire brought to the people.

Several years later, she was finally able to leave the reform camp with excellent results in all assessments.

Abil deeply repented of her past mistakes, converted to Emperor Burning, became a glorious imperial warrior, and shined on the battlefield against demon invasion with her superb archery skills.

Finally, she was even named the Dragon Blood Baron, ascended the Great Altar of Istalia, and received the personal blessing of His Majesty in front of hundreds of thousands of people.

You know, this is a supreme honor, which is something that many people envy, and as a former enemy, she can actually receive such treatment.

Abil was extremely satisfied with this, and her desire to regain her old memories gradually faded away.

The only trace of her past life left to her was the name - Abil, nothing else.

"My life now is really good. Maybe I don't need to care about the past.

After smiling and waving to a girl holding flowers, Abil thought to herself as she savored her innocent smile.

I was able to become an enemy of the great empire. I was probably brainwashed by those hypocritical guys.
This experience is not worth recalling at all.”

Abil's thoughts gradually became firmer, and her steps became more powerful. The dragon vein elf firmly believed that she was on the right path.

Suddenly, with the keen sense of an archer, Abil felt a pair of eyes following her closely, which made her feel a little flustered.

Could it be an enemy?
Abil quickly turned around and looked in the direction of that gaze.

A man in a hooded grey robe was seen hiding in the crowd, staring at her closely, his vaguely revealed face full of vicissitudes.

"Wait, this is"

Abil could see that what was revealed in those amber eyes was not hostility, but some more complex and tangled emotions.

Abi's heart trembled immediately.

"Richard."

For some reason, Abil uttered this strange yet familiar name, as if it had long been engraved deep in her memory.

Abil kept chewing on the name, but she couldn't remember even the slightest bit of it.

When she came to her senses, the gray-robed figure had disappeared into the crowd and was completely out of sight.

"It's really weird."

And so, Abil continued to follow the parade, putting this strange little episode behind her.

In the shadow of the alley, the man squatted in the corner, his head lowered, muttering to himself: "No, how could this happen? She forgot about me!
No wonder, no wonder Abil joined the Empire, it turns out she lost all her memories!"

The man, or rather Richard, slowly raised his head, his eyes gradually showing determination: "I will make you remember everything, Abil."

Istalia, the inner city, is where the powerful people of the empire live.

There are exquisite buildings everywhere, clean and tidy roads, and even the wizard tower of the Imperial Prime Minister Trump is located in the inner city.

"We have arrived at the inner city stop. Please get off the bus in an orderly manner."

The conductor's clear voice sounded, and Abil got off the steam train and soon arrived at the mansion where she lived.

This is a new house, which was given to her by the imperial government after she was named the Dragon Blood Baron. If it were sold outside, it could probably be sold for five or six hundred gold coins.

Abil took out the key from her military uniform pocket and prepared to open the door.

After she inserted the silver key into the hole, her movements suddenly froze. She hesitated for a moment before saying, "Come out. I know you are nearby."

Sure enough, a trembling voice came from behind.

"Abil, you really..."

I saw a man slowly walking out from the shadows behind the house, looking at the other person with particularly eager eyes.

"Click."

There was a crisp sound of a gun being loaded, and Abil turned around abruptly, revealing a pistol that she had prepared for a long time in her sleeve.

She pointed the gun at the man, frowned slightly, and said in a sharp voice: "Who are you? Why are you following me?"

Seeing the other party's hostile eyes, the man, or Richard, couldn't help but feel a hint of loss in his eyes. The dragon vein elf in front of him was completely different from his former lover.

"You really don't remember me."

He sighed softly, then slowly took off his hood, revealing his handsome but somewhat weathered face, and his pointed ears that were like those of an elf.

Abi's heart suddenly tightened. Half-elf, this was indeed someone she once knew.

But she still didn't put down the gun in her hand, and continued to ask: "What is your purpose? Do you want to harm the empire?"

"I have no hostility, nor do I have any intention of being an enemy of the Empire."

Richard quickly shook his head to explain, and cautiously asked: "My name is Richard, do you still remember this name?"

Abil nodded slightly: "I have some impression of you. You should be an old acquaintance of mine."

Richard finally breathed a sigh of relief. The half-elf wanted to say something, but he didn't know where to start or where to go. It seemed as if there were thousands of words stuck in his throat, but he couldn't express them.

After thinking for a while, he spoke in a somewhat messy voice: "Fifteen years ago, you and I met at a banquet."

However, Abil interrupted him coldly: “Richard, none of this matters. I don’t want to know these stories because I am not the elf you know.

These cold words suddenly made Richard feel a little suffocated.

Have those beautiful memories and unforgettable promises disappeared completely?
Despair seemed to be strangling him by the throat.

The rumor was true. After accepting the gift from the Burning Emperor, Abil's soul had undergone a complete change.

He exhaled deeply, barely maintaining a gentle smile on his face, and continued speaking under the gun aimed at his forehead:

“Abil, you just lost your past memories, I can help you get them back.

We are both members of the Harper Alliance. We met by chance at a banquet of vampire nobles. We once sneaked into the Red Mage Tower together to search for intelligence, and watched the sunrise in Kadaven Forest.

Richard spoke more fluently, his expression became gentler, and tears welled up in his eyes.

He recalled every moment he had spent with Abil, and became increasingly excited as he looked forward to recognizing her after she recovered her memory.

Isn't it all for this day that we have been lurking and waiting for so many days?

Now, the lover he has been longing for is right in front of him. He only needs to recall those beautiful memories of the past to reunite with her.

"Click."

At this moment, Richard felt a cold object against his forehead, and he suddenly felt as if he fell into an icy cave - it was the muzzle of a gun.

Abil held the pistol with her slender hand, placed it against Richard's forehead, and said in an exceptionally calm voice:
“The one standing before you now is not your so-called lover, nor is she a member of the Harper Alliance.

I am Abil, a relative of His Majesty Cassius, and a Dragonblood Baron who is willing to serve the Burning Empire till death."

The dragon elf still did not put down the pistol in his hand, nor did he take off the robe that symbolized the glory and loyalty of the empire, and continued:

“Breaking into the inner city of Isdalia and following the dragonblood nobles of the empire in an attempt to instigate rebellion is already considered a serious crime of espionage.

For the sake of our past friendship, please leave here immediately and I will not hold you accountable for your mistakes any longer."

Richard looked at his former lover in astonishment. He stood there, shaking his head in great sorrow, muttering to himself.

"No"

"Abil, this shouldn't be the case."

"Listen to me, you haven't recovered your memory yet, you don't know what happened between us-"

Richard risked his life to take a few steps forward, trying to grab the elf's arms.

But Abil put down the pistol, turned around like a gust of wind and rushed into the mansion, closing the door without hesitation, blocking the anxious Richard outside the house.

She only said one sentence in a calm tone: "Richard, don't stay here any longer. The Imperial Guard will not show mercy to you."

After returning to her home, Abil took off the standard robe of the Dragon Blood noble, hung it on the hanger next to the door, and stuffed the unloaded pistol into the box.

She was silent for a long time before she stuck her head out and looked out the window.

The figure who had just been standing there disappeared as if he had never been there.

"Richard."

In fact, when Richard was speaking, she had already recovered all her memories and remembered everything Richard wanted to tell.

But now is different from the past. At this moment, Abil has become a loyal follower of the red dragon, and everything she has belongs only to the emperor - whether it is body, mind or soul.

Feelings may fade, but the bond that His Majesty has tied to them is eternal.

Abil knew very well that as a dragon-blood noble of the Burning Empire and a follower of the emperor, she could not continue to associate with members of the Harpist Alliance like Richard.

This is definitely not a good thing for either herself or Richard.

This may be a bit cruel, but it is the only right choice they can make.

To be more precise: they are no longer people from the same world.

"Sorry, I had no choice."

Abil leaned against the door, holding her chest, and suddenly felt a short pain in her heart, but the feeling subsided in an instant. (End of this chapter)