Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 645 - 598 Forgiveness

The Blue Dragon Priest reconstructed the teleportation portal, tendrils coiling around him, the Lich Crown askew upon his head. Lyle’s expression was grave as he quickly approached the altar.

"Begin the ritual once more, teacher."

The towering Bone Dragon looked down at his student, his annoyance evident on his face—it seemed the lad had suffered a setback. The dragon found himself inexplicably cheered by the sight of that sullen face.

"It’s good to have you back," he said, adopting the air of a teacher once more. "A proper setback can spur growth." Then, he settled back on the altar.

The Dragon Priest exhaled in relief, his emotions a tangle of disappointment and relaxation. As they psych themselves up to rally anew, Lyle shattered their barely regained calm with a single sentence.

"No, he’s here."

Out of the portal, which was set to close and shrink, a large hand reached through. Magical power ignited, and light and heat tore the portal wide open, which had been the size of a soccer ball. Golden chains secured the shattered portal, and the Angel of Light stepped onto solid ground.

The clouds were pulled asunder, yanked from the sky by holy light to form Raymond’s veil, but no thickness of clouds could block the gleam from the knight’s armor. The sun peeked through the parted clouds, and heavenly choirs sang, their sacred music falling upon the Dragon Priest’s altar alongside the sunlight.

Only after Aryan and Loveday had emerged from the portal did Raymond’s chains retract.

The trio from the Holy Light Almighty Sect stood before the charred remains of the portal, confronting the Dragon Priest.

Raymond and Lyle’s gazes met, but swiftly moved on to take in the surroundings.

"Nice place, reminds me a bit of the Primordial Church’s backyard. It feels familiar," Raymond commented lightly, his offhand remark acting as some sort of alarm, spurring the Dragon Priest to stand protectively in front of the immense dragon, ice crystals forming and flames swirling, ready for a fight at any moment.

The scent of danger pricked at the nerves of those on the side of the Holy Light; psychic blades snapped into existence while shadow minions took shape in the darkness.

Mr. Raymond stood with arms crossed, nodding towards Lyle with a steady gaze.

"Don’t mind me, I’m just observing. Please, continue with your academic pursuit."

The standoff lasted thirty minutes during which neither the Holy Light nor the dragon made any move. Both sides were as if frozen in time, until the sunlight was once again veiled by the gathering clouds.

Raymond made no move, but his oppressive presence lingered. Lyle ceased the futile exercise and proposed starting the ritual anew.

"That’s a risky move, Lyle," the Black Dragon Priest said in a grave tone, his figure blurring, ready to transform into dragon form at any moment.

"If there were any dangers, they have already occurred. We shall revive the dragon, even beneath the watching eyes of the Holy Light."

The ritual resumed.

Raymond’s gaze swept over those conducting the ritual, nearly every one of them reacting to his impotent scrutiny with a snort or a shiver.

"Roar!!!"

The massive figure of the Twilight Dragon Silvette interposed herself between the ritual and Raymond, blocking his view with her body.

"Bishop Raymond... this seems to be... a living dragon."

"Yes... she is," the Angel of Light replied, eyes locked onto those purple pupils, a bewildering sensation coursing through him. Fragments of memories from a life before began to reassemble. Raymond clenched his fist, then, after a moment, relaxed his grip. "It’s you..."

Red lightning crackled around the Star Spirit, ready to execute the leader’s will.

"Stop, Loveday."

"Bishop Raymond?"

"Never mind her."

Aryan looked upon this pardoned dragon, sensing an opportunity.

Lyle, unaware of this brief interlude, focused entirely on reconstructing flesh, reshaping the new body of the dragon. Now, this was not just for the longstanding desire of the Dragon Priests but also to prove himself. No one is born sinful; existence is not for bearing atrocities. And now, Lyle was granting these oppressed dragons the right to struggle.

"Everyone, sacrifice all the power harvested from your clans!" Lyle roared as the dragon’s new body neared completion.

"But the Resurrection Technique, it only requires these..."

"The Resurrection Technique and the Ascension Ritual, proceed simultaneously! Silvette, as soon as my work is done, you take over."

"Understood!"

"Hold nothing back, this is the last time!"

The soul of the mighty dragon roared once more, and a new dragon was resurrected, but upon him, the flames of the Holy Light were also burning.

The Twilight Dragon came before the new king, with the shattered crown floating above her head. It was the crown of a bygone era, the crown of the clan of Yemotar, the Father of All Dragons. In the end, when all dragons were extinct, the inheritance had passed on to her. Silvette tore off her own crown and chewed it with her teeth, grinding it to pieces. Her dragon’s maw was ravaged by power, filled with black blood.

The orphan of the era climbed atop the dragon’s neck, prying his mouth open.

"I am the watcher of twilight, passing the fate of the clan onto my lord whom I serve."

Dragon breath of the twilight spewed from her mouth, infusing the shattered crown’s power into the body of the dragon.

Silvette fell, and the gem-studded crown atop the dragon’s head immediately burst into light, a blinding brilliance nearly illuminating the world. The dragon’s strength surged rapidly, chains continually growing out of its shell.

Six chains.

Seven chains.

Eight chains.

Nine chains...

"Failed," Raymond’s voice sounded like a divine punishment, and out of the void, golden chains fell like thunder from the sky, piercing the large body of the dragon.

"Roar!!!" The era of the Holy Light brought down its punishment, eternal vengeance.

The unwilling roar of the dragon echoed through this world, filled with exhaustive force.

"An ill omen has arrived."

The Omen Giant seized the struggling dragon, maliciousness crawling over his body, black sludge engulfing his magnificent form.

[Truly, I have lost to you.]

[I am the fallen star, the master of destiny, the untamed. Herein, I sign the ancient covenant of chaos, to coexist with this object.]

The Power of the Evil God was a multitude of stars devouring each other, the origin of everything. But the actions among the Evil Gods involved more than chaotic devouring; it was the beginning of all forms of union, transcending contracts, trust, and any other promises.

Lyle and the dragon shared their life forces, the twisted life force of the Evil God sustaining the completion of the coronation ceremony.

"Is this the future that Nameless saw..."

Lyle and the dragon were sustained by the Power of the Evil God, with the fierce flames of the Holy Light burning on their bodies.

Once ten chains were achieved, the Holy Light’s repressive force could naturally not suppress the newborn Father of All Dragons, and the dragon could endure this Holy Light’s vengeance, rising anew. But this process was destined to be a lengthy one.

The soul of the dragon could withstand the scorching of the Holy Light.

The Power of the Evil God could withstand the scorching of the Holy Light.

The only thing that would burn up in the Holy Light was that soft humanity, the part known as Lyle.

The pure one, Lyle, would perish under the fierce flames of the Holy Light.

To manifest justice, a price must be paid.

The blurry, twisted dragon spread its wings, the Holy Flame burning within its body, yet power also converged within it. It was like a great cross, upon which hung the slight soul of purity.

"I have done it."

The blurred flesh floated in the air, a great cocoon fostering a new existence. In front of it, the ashen corpse was about to extinguish its last embers.

Raymond moved.

The ten-chain, ten-winged Angel of Light hung above the firmament, extending his hand toward the great being and the frail existence linked to it.

"Death is an opportunity. This is for Lyle, and also for me..."

"Forgiveness, for all sins, redemption for the anguished souls."

"Dragons, you are now blameless."

Dazzling light fell from the sky, it was the Holy Light descending with the greatest mercy to all people.

"Resurrection Technique."