At midnight, in the heart of the Empire, Nacho Sman entered a rundown inn, looking travel-worn and weary.


    After exchanging a secret code with the innkeeper, he was led upstairs to a private room.


    Standing before the door, Nacho knocked lightly, cleared his throat, and spoke respectfully, “Lord Aindy, I’ve returned.”


    A deep male voice answered from inside, “Come in.”


    “Yes, my lord,” Nacho replied.


    He pushed open the door, and the innkeeper discreetly closed it behind him before quietly walking away.


    Inside, the man referred to as Aindy sat by a tea table on the balcony, legs crossed, gazing into the heavy night.


    A teapot sat on the table, wisps of steam rising from it.


    Nacho stood at the entrance, stiff and motionless, knowing that without further instruction from Aindy, he couldn’t take a single step forward.


    After a brief silence, Aindy spoke slowly, “Bly, Jaggers, Hammy, Felix, Walton, Ka… And before them, Lavi and Star. Since I handed this task to you, eight Dragon Kings have died. I want to know—why is killing Leon Casmod really so difficult, Nacho?”


    Nacho, standing at the doorway, felt his whole body tense, even swallowing his saliva with extreme caution.


    Cold sweat trickled down his forehead as he answered after a long pause, “It was an ident, my lord. I personally saw him disappear into the space rift. How could I have known he woulde back…”


    “I don’t believe in idents, Nacho.”


    The implication was clear: stop feeding me nonsense.


    Nacho bit his dry lips and bowed deeply, “Apologies, my lord. It was my carelessness that caused such losses.”


    Aindy scoffed, then changed the subject. “Come sit. I’ve made tea.”


    “Yes, my lord.”


    Only with Aindy’s permission did Nacho dare step further into the room, heading toward the balcony.


    He took a seat across from Aindy, though his nerves were still evident.


    “You’ve had a long journey. Have some tea to soothe your throat,” Aindy said, still staring out into the dark.


    “Yes, my lord.”


    Nacho lifted the teacup with both hands and took a small sip.


    The tea had already started to cool, and it wasn’t particrly pleasant.


    But Nacho knew that Aindy hadn’t called him here just to drink tea.


    Still, he didn’t dare to ask questions unprompted.


    Working closely with powerful people required one crucial skill: do more, ask less.


    “How’s the tea?” Aindy asked.


    “It’s very good, my lord.”


    “Is that so? This tea is called ‘Red Robe,’ from the eastern continent.”


    After a brief pause, Aindy slowly turned his head to look directly at Nacho. “It was also your father’s favorite tea.”


    Hearing the word *father* from Aindy’s lips made Nacho freeze.


    He instinctively tightened his grip on the teacup, but didn’t respond.


    Seeing Nacho’s troubled expression, Aindy continued, “After Victor was executed by Leon, you took on the task of killing Leon yourself. I trusted you with this because I believed in you, letting you oversee and manage Lavi and the others. But the results you’ve given me, Nacho, have been far from satisfactory.”


    Gulp—


    The bitterness of the tea flooded Nacho’s mouth as he swallowed hard, his heart pounding in his chest.


    Nacho understood the underlying message in Aindy’s words: *You’re done with this job.*


    “While it’s true that the Dragon Kings ultimately made their own decisions, you were still involved in the overall nning, correct?” Aindy asked in a measured tone.


    “...Yes, my lord.”


    “Hmm, that was part of the deal when we first made our alliance with the Dragon n.”


    Aindy sighed. “But losing eight Dragon Kings in such a short time, not to mention Constantine from long ago—Leon Casmod has truly taught both us and the Dragon n a harsh lesson.”


    “My lord…”


    “The Dragon n has already recalled Adam to deal with Leon. As for us, it’s time we made some changes too, wouldn’t you agree, Nacho?”


    The meaning was crystal clear.


    Nacho wasn’t stupid. He immediately stood up, speaking rapidly, “Please, my lord, give me one more chance! I’ll lead the Dragon Kings and kill Leon Casmod!”


    “I’ve already given you many chances, Nacho.”


    Aindy remained indifferent to Nacho’s desperate plea. “But the truth is, this task has proven to be far beyond your capabilities. Perhaps…”


    Aindy nced down at his cup of tea and smiled faintly. “You’ll have to find another way to get your father out of prison.”


    “My lord!”


    Thud—


    This time, Nacho dropped to his knees in front of Aindy, clutching his pants, pleading in a panic, “Please, my lord, give me onest chance! I swear—”


    “That’s enough, Nacho. epting an impossible task just to clear your father’s name was a foolish move from the start.”


    “My lord! I, I—”


    “The tea’s gone cold, Nacho.”


    “...”


    Aindy sneered, shaking off Nacho’s grip. He stood up and strode toward the door.


    He didn’t pause, nor did he offer Nacho another chance to prove his loyalty.@@novelbin@@


    Loyalty?


    Hah, loyalty was thest thing the Empirecked.


    Aindy held countless people in the palm of his hand, and Nacho Sman was just one of many.


    Click—


    The door lock clicked open and shut. The sound of Aindy’s shoes on the wooden floor faded into the distance.


    Nacho remained on his knees as the cold midnight breeze blew in from the balcony, creeping into his cor and enveloping him in a chilling embrace.


    He turned his gaze toward the tea on the table.


    “Tea’s gone cold, Nacho.”


    Aindy’s parting words echoed in his ears.


    Powerlessness and despair surged through him.


    In that moment, Nacho realized that in the face of absolute power, truth could be twisted, and justice had no clear lines.


    Such power had once been within Nacho’s reach, but in the end, it had slipped through his fingers like grains of sand.


    He didn’t hate that unkible bastard Leon. No, he hated himself for not seeing through the absurdity of the world sooner.


    With trembling hands, Nacho picked up the cup and downed the cold tea.


    Then, he stood up and left the inn, walking alone under the moonlight, through the midnight streets of the Empire.


    His silhouette was haggard and frail, like a discarded puppet.


    ...


    After leaving the inn, Aindy returned to the royal pce by carriage.


    His servant, Scott, approached him with a report.


    “My lord, we’ve sessfully retrieved the Heartguard Dragon Scales from Bly and the other Dragon Kings.”


    “Hmm.”


    “And my lord, there’s been progress on the ‘Project’ in the Far North. Would you like to see it?”


    At this, Aindy raised an eyebrow.


    It seemed tonight wasn’t all bad news after all.


    “Lead the way,” Aindy said.


    “Please, follow me, my lord.”


    The two made their way to an underground chamber within the royal pce.


    The room was filled with numerous Demon Suppression Stones.


    At the center of these stones floated a glowing, white mass of energy.


    It hovered quietly, shining with a crystalline, milky-white glow.


    Aindy’s eyes gleamed. “Is this the *Primordial Force* you excavated from the Far North?”


    “Yes, my lord,” Scott confirmed. “After Lavi’s death, without his spatial magic, the Dragon n halted their operations in the Far North. But we still managed to obtain part of the prize—what you see now.”


    Aindy stared at the pulsating white energy. Even though he wasn’t trained in magic, he could feel the power emanating from it.


    It was wild, eager for a vessel that could perfectly contain it.


    No wonder so many Demon Suppression Stones were needed to subdue it.


    “Well done, Scott,” Aindy praised.


    Scott bowed. “Thank you, my lord.”


    “Don’t celebrate just yet. Now that we’ve found the Primordial Force, have you found its vessel?”


    “We have a few candidates in mind. But the ones I’m most confident in are these three brothers.”


    Scott handed over a list.


    Aindy barely nced at it. “This is your task. Just show me the results.”


    “Yes, my lord.”


    “With this, the *Spearhead* project will soon beplete,” Aindy said with a touch of satisfaction.


    Scott’s eyes darted, and he echoed, “Indeed, my lord. Once it’s done, our cooperation with the Dragon n will deepen even further.”


    Aindy cast a sidelong nce at Scott. “The Spearhead Project was originally designed to strengthen our ties with the Dragon n, but that idiot Nacho still hasn’t dealt with Leon Casmod. So… we’ll have to shift the project’s focus.”


    “You mean… using the Spearhead Project against Leon?” Scott asked.


    “Exactly. No matter how strong Leon Casmod is, he cannot defeat the Dragon n’s Primordial Force.”


    Aindy gazed at the glowing mass of energy, brimming with confidence.


    “You are truly wise, my lord,” Scott ttered at just the right moment.


    “By the way, is this Primordial Force from the Dragon God, Tiamat?” Aindy


    asked.


    “No, my lord. The Dragon n still hasn’t located Tiamat’s resting ce.”


    Scott exined further, “However, the portion of the Primordial Force we acquiredes from Tiamat’s first sessor, a Dragon King who is regarded as the *First King* in Dragon n mythology.”


    Aindy raised an eyebrow, surprised. “Oh? That’s quite a pedigree.”


    “Yes, my lord. Although this Primordial Force is only a small fraction of his power, it is still immeasurably strong.”


    “The First King is a legendary figure in Dragon n history. His presence is woven throughout their myths, and he yed a vital role in the Dragon n’s development. Even today, his name is still sung in reverence.”


    Scott also stared at the restless Primordial Force.


    “His name is… the Primordial Dragon King, Noah.”