Chapter 243
Chapter 243. Entering
With a soft pop, as though a thin membrane had been pierced, a light speck the size of a grain of rice suddenly appeared before Dragon Mother Daenerys, releasing faint yet stable spatial fluctuations.
A trace of joy instantly flashed through Daenerys’s golden eyes. She could clearly sense that this was the sign that the Secret Realm Light Gate was about to take shape.
As the five Domain-level dragons and her own Domain Power continued bombarding it, the speck of light expanded and grew at a speed visible to the naked eye, like a bubble being blown larger.
At first, it was only a blurry patch of light, but very soon, it expanded into a halo the size of a basketball. Within the halo, shifting light and shadows could vaguely be seen.
After another short while, the halo had already expanded to several meters in diameter, its edges flickering with unstable purple arcs of lightning.
Through the translucent halo, Daenerys could even vaguely see the scene inside.
Several figures were running about in panic, their faces full of fear and confusion, as though they had been alarmed by the energy impact from the outside world.
“Now.”
Daenerys gave a low shout. She no longer relied on energy bombardment. Instead, she condensed the vast Domain Power within her body to an extreme degree and attached it entirely to her palms.
A layer of fine black scales instantly covered her hands, releasing a pressure that made one’s heart tremble.
Immediately afterward, she stretched out both hands and firmly grasped the two sides of the halo. The muscles in her arms bulged, and veins faintly rose beneath her skin.
“Open for me!”
With a furious roar infused with Dragon Aura, she suddenly exerted force with both arms, actually intending to tear open this hidden Secret Realm Light Gate through brute strength.
The halo trembled violently. The purple arcs along its edges flashed wildly with sizzling sounds, as though it might collapse at any moment.
But Daenerys’s gaze only grew firmer. Domain Power surged into the halo like a tide, forcibly tearing the originally round light gate out of shape. Under her tremendous strength, the gap widened little by little.
The instant the light gate was torn open, a fresh fragrance of grass and trees mixed with dense yet gentle magic power rushed forth, completely different from the violent energy outside.
Daenerys did not step inside immediately. A trace of caution flashed through her eyes. The situation inside the Secret Realm was unknown, and rushing in recklessly would easily place her at a disadvantage.
She quickly took out a communication crystal glowing with blue light, injected magic power into it, and ordered in a deep voice.
“Notify the two Golden Legions stationed at the palace, the two Golden Legions outside the royal capital, and the four Sky Knight Orders to gather in the palace throne hall at the greatest possible speed. There must be no delay.”
A uniform response came from the other end of the crystal.
Daenerys put away the crystal, her gaze fixed firmly on the gradually stabilizing light gate. Around her, Dragon Aura circulated silently as she guarded against any possible accident.
Only a few minutes later, dense, heavy footsteps rang out from outside the throne hall, as though thousands of troops and horses were trampling across the ground.
The first to arrive were the four Sky Knight Orders. The knights were clad in bright silver armor and held long spears as they formed neat ranks outside the hall, their momentum awe-inspiring.
Immediately afterward, the four Golden Legions also arrived one after another. The mages held their staves, and the golden patterns on their armor flowed beneath the faint glow of magic. Their formations were as orderly and firm as stone.
“Move out.”
Seeing that the troops had assembled, Daenerys gave the order and was the first to step into the light gate.
Behind her, several Legendary Archmages and Legendary Warriors followed closely, their bodies radiating overwhelming auras like pillars capable of calming the sea.
The four Sky Knight Orders filed in one after another, while the mages of the Golden Legions formed battle formations. They maintained magic shields as they entered the Secret Realm in an orderly manner.
The spatial passage inside the light gate was short and distorted, and passing through it brought an intense sense of dizziness.
When everyone’s feet touched solid ground, the view before them suddenly opened wide.
A vast forest appeared before their eyes. Towering ancient trees blotted out the sky, and mottled specks of light fell through the branches and leaves. The magic power in the air was so dense that it seemed almost ready to condense into solid form. From the distance, the roars of magical beasts could faintly be heard.
Daenerys stopped and looked around. Then she said solemnly to the legion commanders behind her, “Stay alert. Spread out and investigate. The First Golden Legion will establish a defensive position centered on the light gate and prevent the remnants of the Reinhardt Kingdom from escaping. The rest of you will follow me.”
After the order was given, the legions quickly moved. The Golden First Legion was ordered to remain near the light gate and construct a tight defensive fortification, while the other forces began their investigation according to their assignments.
Dragon Mother Daenerys mounted a giant dragon whose scales were as crimson as molten lava. The dragon let out a roar that shook the forest, then spread its wings and flew toward the central region of the Secret Realm. Vigilance and curiosity flashed in its golden eyes.
At the same time, within an ancient castle hidden deep in the mountains of the Reinhardt Secret Realm, candlelight flickered, illuminating the figures of three elderly men clad in dark robes.
They were the kingdom’s last three Domain-level powerhouses. At this moment, they were gathered around an ancient wooden table, their expressions grave as they discussed the situation.
“According to the information sent from below, the Secret Realm entrance has clearly already been found by Daenerys and her people.”
The old man seated on the left was the first to speak. His voice was hoarse, carrying a trace of anxiety that was not easy to detect.
“You two, now that matters have reached this point, what should we do?”
The other two old men said nothing. The castle fell into a brief deathly silence, leaving only the crackle of burning candles.
A moment later, the old man on the right slowly raised his head, and a fierce glint flashed in his eyes.
“Since they are pressing us step by step and pushing us too far, then they cannot blame us for being ruthless. We will use the Divine Artifact and catch them off guard, preserving the royal family’s foundation.”
“The Divine Artifact?”
The old man in the middle suddenly frowned, his tone filled with deep wariness.
“Have you forgotten the ancestral command?”
“Whoever uses that thing dies. When activated, it can indeed unleash world-destroying power and offer a moment of satisfaction, but afterward, the wielder will inevitably suffer backlash from the Divine Artifact. Now that you have brought this up, who will use it?”
The three of them fell silent once more, struggle written across their faces.
The power of the Divine Artifact was indeed tempting, but its fatal backlash made them shrink back from it.
Just then, a high, majestic dragon roar suddenly came from outside the castle. The sound pierced through the thick stone walls and shook the candle flames violently, as though even the entire castle was trembling faintly.
The expressions of the three old men changed at the same time, and they abruptly stood.
“It is the Dragon Mother’s aura. How did she find this place?”
“Not good. Could they have already broken through the outer defensive line?”
“Quickly, let us go see what is happening first.”
The three of them no longer had any time to argue. Their figures flashed and vanished from the castle, rushing swiftly toward the direction from which the dragon roar had come.
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