Chapter 776 - 436: Investiture, Joy of Ashes, Hidden Dangers in the Shadows (Extended - )

Chapter 776: Chapter 436: Investiture, Joy of Ashes, Hidden Dangers in the Shadows (Extended Chapter)

He took a deep breath, as if to draw the last courage of his life into his lungs, then closed his eyes and, with great difficulty and slowness, poured the remaining black oil strong liquor from the cup down his throat.

The entire banquet was silent, no one stopped him, just watched coldly.

When the last drop of viscous liquid slid into his esophagus, Marquis Marcus could no longer hold it together. The wine glass in his hand fell to the ground with a "clang," and his whole body, as if the bones were drained away, collapsed directly to the ground, weak in breath, and as pale as gold paper.

Galos looked at his miserable state and shook his head slightly: "If you can’t drink it, why force yourself so much?"

"This ambassador, you’re being too stubborn."

"Alright then, take him away and find a place for him to rest properly."

The accompanying attendants of the Theo Kingdom had long been sweating with fright, their faces pale. Hearing this, they felt as if they had been granted amnesty and hurriedly went forward in a flurry, lifting the already dazed and barely breathing Marquis, and quickly exited the banquet hall.

He drank so much black oil, and it was the special high-concentration version prepared exclusively for Galos.

The life and death of Marquis Marcus were uncertain.

On the other side, Elf Dragon Vera was leisurely lying on Deborah’s shoulder.

She leaned close to the Red Silver Dragon’s ear and whispered with a chuckle, inaudible to anyone else: "Look, Deborah, Galos is really adept at whatever he does."

"He has completely stepped into the role, embodying the unpredictable and daunting image of a monarch."

"Those ambassadors from the south probably didn’t expect a wild Evil Dragon to be so good at being an emperor, almost born to it."

Deborah’s gaze was fixed on the Red Iron Dragon.

She smiled faintly and whispered, "Galos might be able to maintain this facade for a few days, but it won’t be long before he gets restless, abandons state matters, and starts his frenzied self-training again."

The Elf Dragon nodded in agreement: "That’s true."

"But still, he seems to be enjoying himself quite a bit right now."

They were both very aware of Galos’s true nature.

This kind of long-term social engagement filled with deception and intrigue was not truly what he enjoyed.

It was only during the founding ceremony, out of consideration for the kingdom’s image, that he was willing to "play along" with these ambassadors.

Afterward, such mundane diplomacy and state affairs were likely to be completely handed over to the steady and reliable Regent King Solrog.

As for himself, he would once again focus on pursuing the ultimate in his own power.

Meanwhile, beneath the seemingly cheerful atmosphere of drinking and toasting at the feast, all present ambassadors keenly sensed this Emperor Ignatius’s style and ruling prowess.

He was confident, powerful, and extremely pragmatic, with clear objectives.

Any attempts to persuade with sweet words or to impose with subtle threats could not sway his will.

To forge a good relation with this emerging Giant Dragon Kingdom, one would need to present real assets and sincerity.

As for Marquis Marcus, who was taken away due to rash words and now teetered on the edge of life and death... nobody cared at this moment.

The relationship between the Theo Kingdom and Ola Kingdom was already tense and delicate. With increasing conflicts of interest, they were likely to inevitably head towards deeper confrontation.

A marquis blatantly uttering implicitly threatening words at the other emperor’s founding ceremony, in front of everyone?

The Red Iron Dragon Emperor refraining from violently dealing with him on the spot was already the utmost restraint, considering the gathering of ambassadors and the matters of diplomacy.

What followed concerning his life or death wouldn’t cause any ripples.

The banquet continued amid a seemingly warm yet deeply layered atmosphere.

Galos sat steadily in the main seat, like a king at the center of a giant web, seemingly casually enjoying wine and snacks, but in reality calmly observing the movement of each moth, assessing their intentions.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away from the Red Flame Royal City, in a secluded valley.

When Marquis Marcus collapsed and was taken away, the visual connection maintained by secret magic was also interrupted.

Two figures in gray robes, who had witnessed the entire founding ceremony and subsequent banquet scenes through Marcus, were present in that place.

They exchanged glances, falling into a brief silence.

Moments later, the slightly taller figure was the first to speak: "What a fool. We had intended to use him to observe the Red Iron Dragon Emperor more, but he ended up seeking death."

This Legendary figure immediately made a decision.

——To completely eliminate Marquis Marcus, this now worthless and potentially troublesome pawn.

When they first met Marcus, they had secretly planted a very hidden magic mark on him.

Now, taking advantage of Marquis Marcus’s weakened state, they activated the mark from afar, allowing him to die naturally, leaving no future troubles.

Snap!

The gray-robed figure snapped his fingers silently.

Thousands of miles away, within the Red Flame Royal City.

At the heart of the comatose Marquis Marcus, the imperceptible Magic Mark quietly shattered, transforming into a cold and insidious death energy, swiftly eroding his already fragile cardiac veins.

He would not see another sunrise, ultimately dying reasonably from cardiac arrest.

Initially, Marquis Marcus thought himself clever, believing that he could stay clean by only providing information, letting these two mysterious Legendaries kill the Red Iron Dragon, while he watched from the sidelines.

Yet he never considered the peril of bargaining with a tiger, leaving himself unscathed?

The likely outcome was being devoured entirely, along with skin and bones, by the tiger.

"Just the two of us trying to kill the Red Iron Dragon Emperor has a low success rate and could even backfire." The shorter gray-robed figure pondered, asking in a muffled voice through his hood, "Should we... request reinforcements?"

The tall gray robed nodded.

"To ensure everything runs without a hitch, let’s call in two more colleagues."

He paused, seemingly feeling that this wasn’t secure enough, and added, "Additionally, request the deployment of that Legendary Weapon ’Joy of Ashes,’ which has high damage bonuses and suppressive effects on all Fire Element creatures. It can significantly weaken the Red Iron Dragon’s power and help us achieve our goal smoothly!"

The other gray-robed figure nodded silently in agreement: "Indeed... this powerful Giant Dragon Emperor, his strength, his bloodline... will ultimately lead us to the final ascension."

"He... belongs to us."

In an instant, the two gray-robed figures seemed to reach some consensus. Their bodies, hidden beneath the voluminous cloaks, underwent subtle changes, and their eyes in the shadows suddenly constricted, transforming into cold vertical pupils.

"With scales as armor, with breath as soul; with wisdom as reins, with strength as yoke."

"Revere the lofty, bow to none; the binding Oath of Dragons, we become gods."

"......"

A deep, hoarse chant simultaneously rose from their mouths.

It echoed like a curse or some kind of prayer, eerily reverberating in the silent and deserted valley.