"Hah~ Hah~ Hah~"
Standing in the center of the practice field, Luna panted heavily, gripping the Celestial Frost Holy Bow in her left hand.
Her gaze swept across the practice field—hundreds of iron humanoid puppetsy scattered across the ground, either crushed or frozen.
"I managed to finish within an hour… that''s an improvement!" Luna exhaled in relief, unable to suppress a smile.
These shattered iron puppets weren''t ordinary training dummies.
Unlike the wooden ones used in the Holy Orthodox, they possessed resistance to both magic and physical attacks dozens of times greater.
In the past, she could only defeat a hundred, maybe two hundred, within the same time frame.
But ever since her power surged on the Transcendent Night, she hadn''t tested herself against them again—until now. And the results were more than satisfying.
"If I can fully master the heroes'' inheritance sealed within the Celestial Frost Holy Bow—ny percent, or evenpletely—then I won''t have to be troubled by that lizard woman anymore!" Luna clenched her fists, excitement gleaming in her eyes.
The "lizard woman" she referred to was none other than Athena, the Dragon Empress, who possessed both immense power and a prestigious status.
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Luna knew that, even with her current strength, she was still far from matching Athena.
At times, it left her feeling discouraged, making it hard to stand confidently in front of her.
Even so, she wasn''t too concerned. Heroes were chosen beings—humans destined to grow stronger without limits.
As long as she continued training, Luna was certain that one day, she would surpass Athena!
Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly before stretching her stiff body. A small chuckle escaped her lips. "Well then, I should head back to the mansion and meet Leon. It''s been a while since west came to Atheris—it''d be a waste not to enjoy it."
Yet, just as she took a few steps forward, the bright sky darkened without warning.
Heavy, ominous ck clouds rolled in from the east, swallowing the city of Atheris in an eerie gloom.
"Hmm?" Luna halted, her brows furrowing slightly. The sudden shift unsettled her. "Rain? How is that possible? The sky was perfectly clear just moments ago."
*Boom!*
A deafening p of thunder erupted from the mass of ck clouds, sending a tremor through Luna''s body.
Then, suddenly—
*Badump!*
Her heart pounded violently, and her expression tensed.
*Badump!*
Her breath hitched as she clutched her chest with her right hand. "What… is this?"
*Buzz!*
Before she could finish, a brilliant white light burst from her blue eyes.
At the same time, a star-shaped hero''s destiny slowly manifested on her forehead.
"Argh!" Luna cried out as holy power surged from her body, obliterating everything around her before rocketing into the sky with terrifying force.
Her body lifted off the ground, floating effortlessly, while the Celestial Frost Holy Bow hovered behind her, radiating a dazzling blue light.
...
"One more drink!"@@novelbin@@
In the quiet tavern, Valen mmed his empty wooden ss onto the table, his voice breaking the silence.
A waiter promptly approached with a bottle of beer, carefully pouring it into Valen''s ss.
"Is this enough, sir?" he asked politely, stopping just before the ss overflowed.
"Enough!" Valen nodded in satisfaction, then pulled a gold coin from his pocket and handed it over. "This covers the beer—keep the rest as a tip."
Without waiting for a response, he turned his attention back to his drink, sipping it eagerly.
"Thank you, sir!" The waiter beamed with excitement before quickly retreating.
"Hah~" Valen let out a contented sigh as the sweet yet slightly tangy beer slid down his throat.
The lingering soreness in his body quickly faded, reced by a surge of energy and vitality.
"Hah! Just wait, Leon! After this, I''ll challenge you, beat you soundly, and im the title of the strongest hero! Hiks!" Valen dered proudly, though his words were briefly interrupted by a hup.
*Boom!*
A sudden explosion of lightning tore through the sky, making him flinch.
"Strange… Rain?" he muttered, doubtful.
He was certain that before entering the tavern, the sky had been clear and scorching hot. So why was it suddenly pouring?
Despite his confusion, he brushed it off and continued savoring his drink.
But then—
*Badump!*
His heart pounded violently, and his hand trembled, barely keeping hold of his ss.
A creeping sense of dread washed over him, sending chills down his spine.
"Not good!" he shouted in rm, attempting to summon his holy power—only to fail.
*Buzz!*
A blinding white light erupted from his eyes as the Hero''s Destiny on his forehead ignited.
In the next instant, his holy power burst forth like an unchained beast, obliterating the tavern and everything within hundreds of meters before surging skyward like a rampaging dragon.
His body slowly lifted into the air, and suddenly—the Holy Spear of Soaring Dragon appeared behind him, radiating a zing red glow.
At that moment, in three different ces, three heroes of mankind experienced the same mysterious phenomenon…
...
High above the sky, an enormous barrier stretched for thousands of kilometers.
Though invisible to the naked eye, if one could perceive it, they would be astonished—for within ity a colossal floating city, its towering pirs seemingly endless.
This was Eryuentium, the legendary city in the sky, home to the most powerful ancient dragon in history—the Dragon Ancestor.
Amidst the pce grounds, a vast and breathtaking flower bed stretched as far as the eye could see.
At its center, the Dragon Ancestor sat in quiet meditation, his expression calm and unreadable.
After a while, he slowly opened his eyes and let out a faint sigh.
"I wonder if my power will ever return to what it once was," he murmured with a wry smile.
Despite his title as the Dragon Ancestor, he was far weaker than he had been at his peak.
The devastating wounds he had suffered in his battle against the Evil God had never fully healed—not even after more than 7,000 years.
Beyond awaiting the arrival of the Fated One, his prolonged slumber served a single purpose—to keep those wounds from consuming him.
"Hah~" He sighed once more, gazing up at the clear sky. "Athena, I hope you bring the Fated One soon. I need to train him to face the Evil God… and to help heal me."
The wounds he bore wereced with the Evil God''s mysterious power, tormenting him endlessly.
Long ago, Demon Emperor Amon Crimson had imed that only two beings could rid him of this curse—the Evil God himself or the Fated One.
Suddenly, the Dragon Ancestor''s expression shifted, his eyes widening slightly.
"What?"