Chapter 7 The Gathering Storm

• At the top of Seraphic Mountain, where snow covered everything year-round and the wind howled through the empty sky, a guy sat with his chest bare and his long hair flowing. He was seated cross-legged, deep in meditation.
• All of a sudden, he opened his eyes, and two beams of golden light shot out.
• "My king, after five years hiding out here on Seraphic, this day finally arrived!"
• With that, the guy rockets into the sky and heads east.
• Meanwhile, on the other side of the ocean, in the biggest underground fight club in the Wolfsong Kingdom, thousands of people were packed in, cheering and shouting. In the ring, two fighters were going head-to-head. One of them was nearly three metres tall and built like a moving iron tower—a typical werewolf from the Wolfsong Kingdom, known for their incredible strength.
• Facing him was an Eastmarch fighter from the Aetherian Kingdom. Although he stood over 1.8 metres tall, he appeared like a mere child next to the towering werewolf.
• "Kill him!" shouted the crowd of Wolfsong Kingdom spectators from below.
• Suddenly, the short-haired young man from the Aetherian Kingdom's eyes widened, and a look of pure joy appeared on his face without warning.
• "My king, you're back! You're finally back!"
• The young man, overcome with excitement, leaped into the air. With a powerful strike, he slammed his fist into his opponent's face.
• The towering werewolf fell to the ground with a thud, dead on impact.
• "What a bunch of pathetic werewolves. I've been fighting underground for six months, and not one of them can hold their own!"
• The short-haired Eastmarch man shrugged on his coat and strode out, with everyone making way for him in awe and fear.
• Meanwhile, in a vast barren camp in the northern desert, countless soldiers quickly assembled. In no time, the ranks were perfectly aligned, clearly showing off their top-notch training. This was the Dragon Blood Legion, the most powerful force under the Dragon King of the Aetherian Kingdom.
• "I've got some great news for everyone: our king is finally, finally coming back!" a tall guy in a sharp military uniform announced from a high platform.
• "Welcome back, my king! Long live the Dragon King!" The crowd below erupted in deafening cheers.
• The tall guy waved his hand to calm them down and said, "It's been a tough five years. Our king was held back and sealed away, and we were left in the cold. I know it's been tough for all of you, but we've made it through!"
• "Lord Phanton just informed us that the Dragon King is currently trapped in a difficult situation, and the queen and the princess have been insulted and mistreated. All thirty-six of you, follow me immediately to Lumoria Streamhaven to guard the king!"
• "Yes, sir!" The thirty-six celestial lords at the front stepped forward in unison.
• "Let's go!" The tall man waved his hand and stepped forward, launching himself into the air and leaping into a helicopter hovering above.
• The thirty-six celestial lords quickly jumped into the helicopters as well. Soon, nine helicopters roared south, heading straight for Lumoria Streamhaven.
• Back in Streamhaven, it was late afternoon, and the rain was still pouring down with no end in sight. The sky was dark with lightning and thunder. Maddox sat calmly in his seat.
• "Sterling, let me in! This rain is way too heavy, and I can't stand it anymore. If it keeps up like this, my legs are going to be ruined!" Victor yelled.
• Maddox stayed completely unfazed, but then he suddenly tilted his head as if he sensed something
• "Who's sneaking around? Show yourself!" Maddox called out sharply.
• As soon as he said that, a dark figure shot through the rain, moving so fast it seemed ghostly, and appeared right in front of him.
• Out of nowhere, the man in the black robe stood before Maddox.
• "Your subordinate, Phantom, here, paying respects to the Dragon King!"
• The man saluted and added, "My king, please don't be angry. I just wanted to test things a bit. Luckily, even though you've been sealed for five years, your power is still intact!"
• "It's been five years. You've changed quite a bit," Maddox said with a faint smile, remaining seated throughout.
• Victor, in the dog cage, stared in shock and thought, Dragon King? What is that?
• Phantom turned sharply, glaring, and said, "Is this the person who insulted the queen and the princess? How dare you lay a hand on the Dragon King's family! Just breaking your legs would be too merciful. Next, I'm going to make sure you suffer like never before!"
• After speaking, Phantom waved his hand, and a small knife flew through the air. The sound of slicing filled the air as the knife cut through Victor's flesh, making him scream in agony.
• But it didn't stop there. Phantom then took out a vial and sprinkled red powder over him. Instantly, Victor felt intense pain that was a hundred times worse than before. It hurt so much that he was writhing and wishing he could just die right then and there.
• This was probably what it meant to suffer more than death.
• Maddox's expression remained unchanged. To him, Victor was already as good as dead. The only reason he was still alive was to wait for the Quinns to come looking for him.