Chapter 936: Alternate Timeline: The Prophecy (2)

"Zheng is a five-tailed leopard beast," she began, raising the crystal ball slightly in her hand, where pale mist swirled like trapped moonlight. "Its female counterpart is called Ning, and both species originate from a rank known in forgotten records as the Undying Lands."

"Undying Lands? Not the Eastern Continent?" Kiara was slightly taken aback, but she let her continue.

Meanwhile, Guinvere paused, letting the unfamiliar name settle over the hall, and then continued.

"About fifty years ago, Lysander Frost, his wife Arianna Frost, and several companions, all of whom had been cast out from the ancient Frost Clan from the Ice and Fire plane of existence, arrived in Western Phoenix and made their home in the Desmont Mountains, where they established their branch."

Her lips curved faintly.

"They did not arrive empty-handed. With them, they brought a Zheng Cub, a Beast Emperor."

Even the royal knights shifted uneasily.

A Beast Emperor.

The words alone were enough to stir awe.

Guinvere continued.

"No one knows whether they stole it or received it by fate. In the end, the origin of a thundercloud matters little to the farmer standing in the rain. What matters is that the beast survived and remains loyal to its master to this day."

She lowered her gaze for a moment, as though picturing a solitary guardian standing watch over a grave.

"When the Frost Clan was destroyed nearly thirty years ago during a nine-star dungeon break, the Zheng had only reached the five-star rank and was not strong enough, but still managed to survive."

Her fingers tightened around the crystal ball.

"Now, after all these years, it has grown into a nine-star rank Beast Emperor."

A murmur spread among the knights.

Even Caleb Crescent drew in a slow breath.

Guinvere let the weight of that revelation sink in before speaking again.

"Our Church of Doom has attempted to subdue it for many years, yet even our Supreme Pontiff has failed."

Then she turned fully toward Kiara.

"Now I shall speak of the prophecy."

Her eyes grew distant as she spoke.

"When I cast my vision into the currents of fate, your face was hidden, blurred as though covered by a veil of frost. But I saw a young woman riding upon the back of a great five-tailed leopard, with a small feline creature resting upon her shoulders."

Her voice softened, almost reverent.

"Around you, I sensed the aura of the Frost Dragon, an ancient bloodline before which even Beast Emperors lower their heads."

The crystal ball glimmered brighter.

"And that woman would bring glory to the Kingdom of Celestra. Now that I have confirmed your bloodline, all signs point to you."

When she looked up again, there was no pride in her face, only weary hope.

"I am willing to take this chance, Lady Kiara, as we do not have much time."

Her voice trembled ever so slightly.

[Ding!]

[You triggered a hidden quest.]

Quest: Inheritance of Arianna Frost

Description: As a direct descendant who inherited the Frost Dragon, it is your right to inherit her unclaimed inheritance. Capture the pet that she left behind.

Reward: Missile Defense System (upgradable)

[Accept?]

Kiara stared at the glowing notification hanging before her eyes like a golden decree written by fate itself.

Another hidden quest.

They were appearing one after another like merchants arriving at her door, each one offering a jewel in one hand and a mountain in the other.

Ordinarily, the reward alone would have been enough to make her accept without hesitation. An upgradable Missile Defense System was not a mere toy. It was the sort of treasure that could turn her future bases into iron fortresses.

But the difficulty.

Her thoughts turned heavy.

A nine-star rank Beast Emperor.

A creature on par with a demigod.

The kind of existence that could erase mountains and silence armies.

Kiara crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.

If the beast recognized her as Arianna Frost’s granddaughter, it might refrain from tearing her apart.

But respect was one thing.

Submission was another.

"A wild stallion may allow its former master’s child to approach," she thought, "but that does not mean it will kneel and accept a new rider."

Still, the quest had no time limit.

That single detail changed everything.

If she accepted now and delayed the attempt until she was stronger, she would lose nothing.

And if someone else claimed or killed the beast before then, she would simply forfeit an opportunity she had not yet paid for.

After a few moments of silent calculation, she made her choice.

[Ding! You accepted the Quest.]

Kiara nodded.

"Very well. I will try to subdue it when the time is right. Thank you for telling me."

She inclined her head slightly.

Guinvere forced a faint smile. "It is my pleasure."

But the smile did not reach her eyes.

Kiara noticed it immediately.

There was tension around the woman’s mouth, and beneath her composed expression lay a fear as taut as a bowstring.

As Guinvere lifted her staff, preparing to dissolve the barrier she had erected, Kiara raised a hand.

"Wait."

Guinvere stopped.

Kiara met her gaze steadily. "Why do I feel that you are hiding something?"

The hall grew silent.

Dust drifted lazily in the moonlight.

Kiara continued. "Suppose I tame this Beast Emperor. I gain a powerful ally, an invincible weapon in fact. But what do you gain?"

Her eyes narrowed.

"We are strangers. What makes you believe I will help this kingdom?"

Her tone remained calm, but every word landed like a stone dropped into still water.

She took one slow step forward.

"For all you know, I could turn that beast against your organization as the Church was standing against us."

Guinvere closed her eyes.

For a long moment, she said nothing.

Then she exhaled.

It was the sound of a woman setting down a burden she could no longer carry alone.

"I have no choice," she said quietly.

Her voice was no longer that of a seer speaking in riddles, but of a desperate woman pleading for help.

"Some elders within our Church are conspiring with the Queen. They intend to resurrect our founder, the ancestor of the Church of Doom, through an ancient sacrificial ritual."

Caleb Crescent rose halfway from his seat.

Guinvere continued. "The Supreme Pontiff himself is involved."

Her eyes flicked toward Caleb.

"Now that His Majesty has returned, they may accelerate their plans. The lives of ten million people are at stake."

The words struck the hall like a funeral bell.

Even the knights paled.

Guinvere lowered her head and bowed deeply.

"If you can tame the Zheng and publicly ally yourself with the royal family of Celestra, there is a chance we can stop what is coming."

Her voice shook.

"For the sake of innocent lives, I beg for your help."

[Ding! You triggered a mandatory hidden Quest.]

Quest: Stop the Undertaking

Description: The Church of Doom is planning to sacrifice 10 million citizens of the Celestra kingdom to resurrect the founder of the Church of Doom. Stop the ritual by killing the current Supreme Pontiff openly.

Time limit: 324 days (can be reduced at any time)

Reward: Battle Android (Rank-7)

Quest Failure: The deaths of millions of innocents, loss of Zheng, chaos in the continent of Vermilion Bird, destruction of independent kingdoms, a possible alliance between the Empires, and the host’s business might be affected depending on the situation.