Babi’s appearance turned the Felicitas Palace into a desolate wasteland, filled with dried corpses. The demon’s impact was not confined to the grand hall but spread throughout every corner of the palace. Servants, guards, and even small animals were affected, all drained of blood under Babi’s hunger. It was a night of terror for the guests who had come from afar, and a clear warning from the Legion to Greaton.

  Jacor dragged his exhausted and grievously injured body back to his secret base. Lying in the plainly furnished bedroom, the merchant raised a hand to his forehead and pondered the events of the night. The absence of Aster’s corpse in the palace proved that he had fled very early on. But how could a weak Fighter like him slip away silently, bypassing the network of informants Jacor had arranged? Unless Aster had grown stronger, or else he had assistance.

  Jacor was more inclined toward the latter. All of Aster’s cultivation resources had always been under his control. Without mana stones, relying solely on the thin mana in the air was far from enough for Aster to achieve a rapid breakthrough. He certainly had allies, and that ally had to be extremely powerful.

  “Could it truly be the Legion?”

  Jacor frowned. It was true that the mastermind behind today’s events was the Legion, yet he could not shake the feeling that things were not so simple. From questioning the surviving guards, he learned that the Orcs carried invitations bearing Jacor’s seal. Had the Legion forged his seal from the beginning? That seemed unlikely. Aside from Ceasar and a few trusted soldiers, no one should have known of this secret base.

  “No. There is still one more.”

  Jacor suddenly recalled a strange intruder who had once broken in here. That being did not seem to be alive. The cold aura radiating from it was like that of a corpse.

  Setting all of this aside for now, Jacor’s immediate priority was to placate the fury of the invited guests. Invitations stamped with his seal were an undeniable fact.

  “Damn it.”

  Jacor ground his teeth. In all his years of business, he had never felt such rage. His gaze turned icy, yet he quickly regained his composure. He stared at the old ceiling for a long while, then turned his eyes to the portrait draped in black cloth hanging before the bedroom.

  “I am sorry, my dear. This place can no longer be stayed in. But do not worry. I will return. I always return.”

  Hati was playing with the helmet of an unfortunate guard while Thane was speaking with Ramos. The cub’s cute appearance was extremely popular with women. Mira was no exception. She tried to pick him up, but in response she received only unfamiliar growls.

  “Come on, Hati. Let me touch you a little. Just a little.”

  Mira slowly crouched down and approached, but Hati was far too agile and alert. He easily slipped out of her grasp and even looked at her with a mocking gaze.

  “It seems you will be leaving today,” Ramos said with a smile as he watched the childish scene outside and took a light sip of hot tea.

  “Yes. I probably need to visit a place before returning to SeaBloom.” Thane poured himself a cup of tea as well. After the late night conversation a few days ago, he had become much more relaxed. This place could be considered his home as well.

  “You truly should pay it a visit. At present it is only a small town, but it is fairly safe under the protection of Two Hands. However, never venture deep into Infernic.”

  Ramos looked at Thane seriously. Deep within Infernic existed a monster as powerful as Vargan. He did not want his nephew to lose his life out of curiosity.

  “Of course. No one would go there anyway.”

  Thane widened his eyes at Ramos. He was not foolish. That place was notorious as Cerberus’s territory. Even without going inside, the monsters roaming the border alone could kill him countless times.

  “Do you have any goals for the future, Thane?” Ramos began to address the main topic.

  He harbored ambitions to change Ossa, but mere words were not enough to unite all the tribes. He needed results. A tangible success, as promised at the council. A team that could train at Great Will. He saw enormous potential in Thane. There had to be something special about the boy for the BloodClaw badge to choose him. If Ramos knew that not only the BloodClaw badge but also the SilverFang badge had chosen Thane, he did not know what he would think.

  “Great Will.”

  The answer was short and concise, yet it conveyed the boy’s determination and confidence.

  “That is right.” Ramos nodded in satisfaction.

  The deputy chieftain reached into his clothing and took out a blood red badge engraved with the image of a wolf and the BloodClaw crest, then handed it to Thane.

  “Huh? This is…”

  The boy was startled. It bore a certain resemblance to the badge Exitus had entrusted to him. The badge emitted a gentle red glow, as if sensing something. When Thane brought his arm closer, the light intensified, flooding the entire room with crimson as he grasped it. The reaction was far stronger than that of the SilverFang badge.

  “It is the chieftain’s badge of BloodClaw. It has chosen you, Thane.”

  Thane was shaken. This information revealed many things to him. It meant that he had also been chosen to become the chieftain of SilverFang.

  “The badge never makes mistakes, Thane. You are qualified. Those chosen by the badge are always the most powerful of an era.”

  Thane clenched the badge tightly in his palm. He felt a mysterious energy surge into his body, nourishing every inch of his flesh. Curiosity rose within him. It seemed he could activate one of the badge’s abilities. His instincts told him that he could.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Boom.

  His muscles suddenly swelled, the aura around his body multiplying in strength. Thane’s emotions surged into excitement, fury, and a thirst for battle. He suddenly looked at Ramos with eyes full of fighting intent, without fear even though the man before him was far stronger.

  “This is the ability of the BloodClaw badge. I once saw Nash use it when facing powerful monsters. It enhances the owner’s physique and combat strength many times over, though it also brings some minor side effects.”

  Thane dispersed the badge’s power, carefully placed it inside his clothes, and let out a slow breath. The sensation had been intoxicating. Using it too often would likely be harmful. This badge should only be used at appropriate moments.

  “Just say your purpose directly, Ramos,” Thane said calmly.

  There was no such thing as a free gift falling from the sky. Ramos certainly wanted something from him. Thane only wondered how someone as weak as he currently was could be of any use to a powerful Battle King.

  “It is very simple. Pass the Great Will assessment under the name of Ossa.”

  Thane was puzzled. Was that all? That was already his goal. Under whose name it was done did not matter to him.

  “Great Will places great emphasis on teamwork. Their principle is that only unity can create true strength. Even the Heroes of Sky Tower must form teams. Therefore, whether you want it or not, you will need outstanding companions.”

  Ramos glanced at Mira and Vogar outside and shook his head. Both of them were far too weak. Not only in strength, but also in mentality and intellect. They were destined to exist in a different world from Thane. Any ordinary tribesman of Ossa could easily kill them. It was simply a difference in rank.

  Following Ramos’s gaze and expression, Thane understood what he was thinking. He was about to argue, but quickly fell silent. Ramos was not wrong. Thane recalled the encounter with the sick father and son at DarkCry. Their behavior had truly disappointed him.

  “However, the warriors of Ossa are all proud. The geniuses are even more arrogant. Making them willingly follow you will be extremely difficult. In the near future, you will have to prove to them that you are worthy of the position of captain.”

  “Captain?” Thane frowned. He had not expected Ramos to regard him so highly. After all, he was currently just an ordinary person with no mana in his body.

  “Of course. Believe in yourself. You can do it, Thane.”

  Ramos had never seen the badge shine so brilliantly. Even when Nash held it, the light had been faint and weak. According to Ulmar, the last time the badge shone so intensely when choosing a master was when it belonged to Reddan.

  “I understand. I will try.” Thane did not dare to make firm promises. He was extremely rational. His last illusions had been shattered during his encounter with Vorshade atop BloodMoon Hill.

  “Actually, there is no need to be too tense. You only need to pay attention to the DragonScale tribe. They are extremely, extremely powerful.”

  At a mysterious cavern where eternal night reigned, inside a strange chamber set upon a ritual formation shaped like a seven pointed star. Five of the seven points shone brightly, each presided over by figures clad in black cloaks. They were the Lone Wanderers, those who possessed the wishes of Madenes. One star point had already gone dark, while another remained completely unoccupied.

  “This time it is more crowded than the last, hm. Such a pity that the Mr Shiny is absent.” Drak’Syl’s mocking voice echoed through the chamber. He cast a contemptuous glance toward Richer’s star point.

  “That brat died well,” Drak’Syl thought coldly. He cared little for Richer’s death. The time Richer had possessed the wish was far too short. Though he had grown quickly, it was still not enough. In the end, Richer was merely a mortal, easily slain by ordinary power. Perhaps given another five or ten years, he might have stood alongside them. Unfortunately, he no longer had that chance.

  “The star point has gone completely dark. This means the wish has been absorbed. As expected, my conjecture was correct. The final wish is the true wish.” Omen spoke with a heavy sigh.

  He had lived for a very long time and conducted countless experiments. When a weak bearer of a wish died, the wish would usually reappear and choose a new owner. Yet this time, when Richer died, no stone manifested again.

  “I knew it from the beginning. This was all nothing more than a trap set by Madenes,” Drak’Syl sneered.

  Silence fell over the gathering. Every being present was a sovereign ruling over a realm. They were intelligent enough to have recognized the truth long ago.

  “I do not actually care. The wish was never mine to begin with. I only needed it for revenge.” The only feminine voice among them rang out.

  “Set aside Exitus for now. He has certainly fled into the origin space of nightmares. Without coordinates, searching for that space within The First Place is practically impossible. We should simply proceed with the plan as decided.” Hellion said calmly.

  “The plan will not change. I will handle matters on Legion’s side.”

  The speaker’s voice was rough and deep, like that of a beast. Even concealed beneath a black cloak, his body was enormous and imposing.

  “Good.”

  “There is still one more issue we must address. Sky Tower will not allow us to act freely.” Omen frowned. The Heroes of Sky Tower were extremely troublesome. Individually, they were not overwhelmingly powerful, but as a group they were terrifying. Even beings like them had to be wary. Those Heroes possessed enough strength to kill a demigod.

  “Do not worry. I already have a solution prepared for them.” Hellion smiled faintly.

  His gaze briefly passed over the vacant star point. This was a plan belonging to all the Lone Walker. How could it be missing the participation of one of its members.

  At this very moment, Hellion’s true body opened its eyes. Once more, he arrived at the icy tomb of Hrothgar. Standing beside him was Lady Lust, and the entire surrounding area seemed to have sunk into her mirror world.

  “These years, I must thank you, Lady, for preserving Hrothgar’s corpse in such perfect condition.” Hellion reached out, touching the frozen mass encasing the giant’s body.

  “There is no need for thanks. It is all for a shared purpose.” Lady replied coldly.

  “You know, Lady, I can always help your daughter return to life. You need only say the word.”

  Lady snorted softly and turned away in silence. Hellion’s concept of living ran counter to her wishes. The creatures he resurrected were grotesque and abhorrent. As one who revered perfect beauty, Lady did not want her daughter to become an Undead.

  Hellion watched Lady’s retreating figure and sighed quietly. He knew what she was planning, yet he did not stop her. The Lone Walker would, in the end, truly walk alone.

  Casting aside all stray thoughts, Hellion focused on the present. Before him lay the colossal and flawless corpse of Hrothgar. The wounds from the ancient battle had been carefully maintained and restored by Lady. Hellion placed his hand upon the massive block of ice. From his palm, dense black miasma poured forth, slowly seeping into the giant’s body.

  The corpse began to move. Muscles trembled faintly. Empty eyes suddenly ignited with flickering black flames. Cracks spread across the enormous ice block. Not only Hrothgar, but the forgotten beings slumbering here also began to awaken.

  “Awaken, Hrothgar. By the power of the Lord of the Undead, I command you to rise.”

  Hellion roared. His voice merged with the thunderous explosions of shattering ice. One by one, giants emerged, slowly advancing toward Hellion. They knelt, but not to bow before the knight. Giants bowed only to their king. It was a pride engraved deep within their instincts, beyond the reach of any spell. They lowered their heads to welcome the return of a legend, the true lord of IceStrom.

  Boom.

  The largest block of ice finally exploded. Hrothgar stood there like a small mountain, his bulging muscles taut with terrifying power. His once pale blue skin had darkened under the influence of nightmare energy. White mist poured from his mouth with every breath, like a cold and ominous wind.

  “Graoooo.”

  The roar of the giant king shook every snow covered mountain. The ground trembled, and even Lady’s barrier showed signs of cracking. That roar announced his return, but not as a hero of the NewBorn God campaign. What returned was a bloodthirsty beast, driven by raw instinct and madness, a weapon of mass destruction.

  Hrothgar Frostbane, The Ice Crusher, champion of the giants.