999 - 1007

Chapter 999: Grand Wedding!

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Lights were blazing in the Princess Royal's palace and all the subordinates under the Princess Royal commanded the people to celebrate. The second prince was dead and the Princess Royal's biggest rival was gone. Next was to wait quietly.

However, Merlin felt that the Princess Royal was getting ambitious. She no longer wanted to wait several years to become King.

"Authority…"

Merlin shook his head helplessly. He had no feelings for authority. In the Void Zone, he was even the person with the highest authority of a huge civilization but what use was that? The strong could destroy a huge civilization in an instant.

Authority was merely how the weak hoped to control the strong. Real strength did not have any interest in authority at all. For example, the elders in the royal family as well as Farron had no special preference for authority.

Even Doomsday had entrusted his subordinates some affairs to manage. When the strong stood at the peak, which one of them would lust after authority?

However, the Princess Royal was not strong. Even if she inherited the royal family's top-tier almighty beast bloodline, reaching the fourth-form was her limit. It was impossible to make a breakthrough and become a full-shifter.

That included the current King. He was also a fourth-form shifter and could not reach the level of a full-shifter. After all, full-shifters who had top-tier almighty beast bloodlines were quite terrifying even if they just became a full-shifter. They would be second only to Farron, who had developed his Supreme Talent to the limit.

"Leon, tell me. Who else can stop us now?"

The Princess Royal's lips were smeared in red. In the dim candlelight, it looked scarlet and alluring. However, Merlin saw the desire for power and authority in her eyes!

"Stop us?"

Merlin shook his head. Now, the only one who could pose a threat to the Princess Royal was Farron. Although Farron could not hurt Merlin, Merlin could not hurt Farron either.

"Lisa, I think you should calm down for now. At best, I can only be evenly matched with Farron and his prestige in Phantom is currently higher than mine. If we fight for real now, our chances of winning aren't very good."

Merlin felt that it was necessary to burst the Princess Royal's bubble.

The Princess Royal smiled thinly and calmly said, "Don't worry, Leon. I've waited for so many years, so what's a little longer? Farron has been Phantom's Intelligence Team's Minister for many years. Moreover, his potential has reached its peak and he can't make any further progress. However, you're different. You still have a lot of room for growth. Leon, tell me. What do you need to continue to grow in strength and completely suppress Farron?"

The Princess Royal seemed to have made up her mind. All her hopes were pinned on Merlin.

Merlin frowned. The Princess Royal seemed to trust him a little too much but when he thought of how the King had trusted Farron in the same way, he felt at ease.

"The royal family won't worry about outsiders usurping power or threatening the royal family because they have great power themselves. Perhaps, those hidden elders are even stronger than Farron!"

Merlin was surprised. The royal family did not seem to be very strong on the surface but they still controlled the key departments and authority despite the current chaotic situation of the empire. This already demonstrated that the royal family was extraordinary.

Currently, there was no trouble in the Holy Dragon City. This was the manifestation of the royal family's control.

Merlin pondered. Perhaps he could use the Princess Royal's forces to obtain some almighty beasts' will, especially the ones sealed in the royal family's treasure vault as mentioned by the second prince.

"I only need almighty beasts' will now and a large number of them. If possible, I heard that there are a large amount of sealed almighty beasts' will in the royal family's treasure vault."

Merlin told the Princess Royal truthfully that he needed almighty beasts' will to strengthen himself. Perhaps Farron had already guessed it. It would no longer be a secret in the near future.

"A large number of almighty beasts' will? That's somewhat difficult. I can't enter the treasure vault even if I'm king in the future, much less now. It's guarded by the elders of the royal family. No one in the royal family is allowed to enter until a special period."

Merlin was slightly disappointed although he already knew the answer. The Princess Royal could not enter the treasure vault even if she became king.

Seeing Merlin's disappointment, the Princess Royal hesitated for a moment before saying, "Although I cannot take you into the treasure vault, I can order my men to look out for some almighty beasts' will and inform you as soon as they find anything."

Merlin nodded. That was all they could do for now.

Then, Merlin bid farewell to the Princess Royal and left the palace.

…

Since the second prince's death, the palace had been strangely quiet and calm. Nothing was happening but Merlin knew that under this peace, a terrible storm was brewing.

However, Merlin appeared to be very relaxed and was even happy. He would be married today with Count Altadin's daughter, Lady Baratha as well as Lady Reese.

This was a marvelous occasion in the entire manor. Many families who did not follow him from Boulder City even came from afar.

"Who would've thought that Leon would be a Marquis now. He even seems to have a high status in Holy Dragon City."

"If I had known, I would've followed Leon and the others to Holy Dragon City, so I didn't have to suffer in Boulder City."

"It's too late. We couldn't leave our property in Boulder City…"

These people were full of remorse. In the beginning, they did not follow Count Stanwin to Holy Dragon City and chose to remain in Boulder City. Although Merlin later took Boulder City back, they were no longer people who could enjoy the core benefits of the clan. They had become the subfamily.

"Her Highness the Princess has arrived!"

Suddenly, someone recognized the Princess Royal from outside. Although the Hilderbrandt clan knew that Merlin was extraordinary, they did not expect that even the Princess Royal would personally come to congratulate Merlin on his marriage.

"Marquis Leon, congratulations!"

The Princess Royal's attire today was very solemn and noble, making people feel inferior and afraid to approach her. However, when she looked at Merlin, she always seemed to adopt a "playful" look.

Merlin was somewhat helpless but bowed respectfully to express his gratitude. Then, he took Lady Baratha and Lady Resse and began the formal wedding ceremony.

The ceremony was complicated but everything went smoothly. From then on, Merlin's formal wives were Baratha and Reese.

After the ceremony was over, the Princess Royal met Merlin alone. A smile appeared on the Princess Royal's lips as she said, "Marquis Leon, your two wives are very beautiful. You must cherish them well. Originally, I didn't want to disturb you today but this item might be very important to you. You can consider it a big wedding present from me to you!"

Then, the Princess Royal took out an oval reddish stone.

"What's this?"

Merlin frowned. He did not see anything special about this reddish stone but if the Princess Royal was so serious when giving it to him, it should be rather valuable.

"Use your almighty beast's will! It's rumored that only Hosts can know the secrets of this stone."

The Princess Royal shrugged. Even she did not know the specifics of the stone.

"Could there be a sealed almighty beast's will inside?"

Merlin guessed upon seeing the mysterious smile on the Princess Royal's face.

Chapter 1000: The Calm Before the Storm

Merlin did not scrutinize the strange stone in the public's view. Once he had tucked it away securely, he invited the Princess Royal into the castle. The Princess Royal cast a cryptic look at Lady Reese and Lady Baratha who were standing next to Merlin and her lips quirked into a faint smile.

Merlin's expression did not waver. He continued to welcome his guests. Besides the Princess Royal, the King had also sent his representatives. Of course, it was not Farron. No matter what, Farron was still the Minister of Phantom, which was not commonly known. Farron's identity was still considered a quasi-secret. Instead, the King sent a few representatives from the palace. They presented Merlin with a magnificent jade carving which was almost as tall as half a person and absolutely breathtaking. This gesture made all guests to question Merlin's importance, seeing as even the King had especially sent him a gift.

"It seems like Leon isn't just ordained as a Marquis. Otherwise, His Majesty the King wouldn't send such an elaborate gift."

Some members of the Hilderbrandt clan had made up their minds. They must establish good relations with Merlin and move from Boulder City to Holy Dragon City as soon as possible. Here, with Merlin around, their lives would be much better compared to Boulder City.

Merlin did not know what these clan members were thinking. Today was his grand wedding with Baratha and Reese. Naturally, he did not want this festive atmosphere to be interrupted. Therefore, according to formal etiquette, from now on, Merlin's official spouses were Lady Baratha and Lady Reese.

The castle was very lively but the Princess Royal did not stay for long. She only stayed for a short time and then got up to leave. As soon as the Princess Royal left, the people in the castle broke out in cacophony. Count Altadin, in particular, was ecstatic. It seemed that the best decision he had made in his life was to marry his daughter to Merlin.

Once dusk approached, most of the guests had left the castle. The exuberant vibe in the castle finally settled down. In a spacious room, Merlin was gazing at the two unfamiliar young women, whom were his wives now.

"Baratha, Reese, both of you probably know that I'm a Host. Currently, the situation in the Empire is very tense. It's possible that one day, an ill fate might befall me as well. Should that ever happen, naturally, the butler will send you back to Boulder City."

As soon as Merlin finished speaking, Reese and Baratha exchanged looks with one another. Then, the slightly bolder Baratha spoke. "Leon, the Empire's situation is very tense. Several lords and aristocrats have suffered terrible fates. However, now that we've married you, you don't have to worry. We'll make sure that the Hilderbrandt clan continues on. We won't allow the bloodline of the Hilderbrandt clan to cease."

After speaking, both of them appeared shy. Although they were both aristocratic young ladies, they have been well-educated. Nevertheless, saying such things aloud to a recently-married unfamiliar man was not appropriate.

Merlin shook his head helplessly. It seemed like no matter which world he went to, bloodlines were regarded with much importance. In that case, Merlin would not change anything. This would only span a few decades anyway. Accompanying them throughout this short period was not too difficult.

Thus, Merlin threw both of them on their backs and blew out the red candles. The entire room was filled with assorted moans…

…

Merlin's grand wedding did not cause much commotion in Holy Dragon City. This was because Holy Dragon City was very large, and Merlin was merely the Deputy Minister of Phantom. Moreover, in the eyes of the public, he was only a Marquis.

Considering the huge aristocrat population in Holy Dragon City, Merlin was not worth mentioning at all.

However, to those who had insider information, Merlin was a key figure concerning the throne in the royal palace of Holy Dragon City.

Following the second prince's death, Merlin's reputation had gained a life of its own. Perhaps, to an average person, Phantom Intelligence Department was an unknown name. Nevertheless, to the high-level aristocrats who held real authority, Phantom Intelligence Department was the most powerful force under the royal family's control.

Currently, the most powerful force in the hands of the royal family was in danger of being split into two. Merlin, who was supported by the Princess Royal, against Farron, who was supported by the King.

There were also rumors that Farron was completely unable to defeat Merlin. Therefore, for a good many days after the grand wedding, there were still people coming in and out of Merlin's castle. All of them were trying to forge good relations with Merlin.

Of course, Merlin would not pay any attention to these people but passed the responsibility to his two wives. Surprisingly, both Baratha and Reese were sociable. Furthermore, they have kept the castle organized, putting Merlin at ease.

Merlin was alone in the secret chamber of his castle. Lately, both the royal palace and Holy Dragon City as well as the rebel armies throughout the Holy Dragon Empire had been extremely silent. Such calmness felt abnormal to Merlin.

It was the feeling of the calm before the storm. Merlin wanted to improve his abilities to a point where he could even suppress opponents such as Doomsday and Farron. Only then would he be able to tilt the balance of the war.

Merlin's current abilities were sufficient to tilt that balance and yet, he could not turn the situation around. He needed to get stronger so that even Farron and Doomsday would have to look up to him.

Perhaps, for anyone else to have such thoughts would be completely preposterous but Merlin was formerly the most invincible existence in the Void Zone. In the end, even the will of the Void Zone was unable to kill him. Why would a great existence such as Merlin worry about not being able to surpass Farron and Doomsday?

Merlin was not too concerned about the legendary sacred beasts too.

In the secret chamber, Merlin flipped his hand over. Inside the palm of his hand was the odd stone which the Princess Royal had passed to him on his wedding day. Back then, Merlin did not examine it closely.

The stone was cool to Merlin's touch. Regardless, this was not the main point. More importantly, Merlin's Awareness hastily extended into the stone. There was a massive subspace in it.

"Roar…

Upon entering this stone, Merlin immediately sensed the growls of countless almighty beasts. This meant that the stone contained a large number of almighty beasts' will.

"There are many almighty beasts' will. Who managed to seal and suppress so many of them?"

Merlin was astonished. Previously, Merlin at least knew the origins of the Bead of Infamy. On the other hand, he was completely in the dark regarding this stone. Most probably, even the Princess Royal who obtained this stone, did not know of its exact origins.

Nevertheless, the Princess Royal probably knew that the stone was related to the almighty beasts' will. She must have spent a lot of effort to find this stone. Otherwise, she would not have gifted it to Merlin as his wedding present. The Princess Royal spared no effort for Merlin's abilities to be enhanced as soon as possible.

Merlin took a deep breath and reined in his excitement. Then, he examined the almighty beasts' will in the stone. There was a large number of almighty beasts' will – about thirty or so. Although not as many as the Bead of Infamy, it was still a considerable number.

However, sadly, there were only two mid-tier almighty beasts' will. The rest were low-tier almighty beasts' will. In this regard, it could not compare with the Bead of Infamy.

After all, the Bead of Infamy was left behind by Count Altadin's ancestor who was a full-shifter Host. It was incredibly difficult for Hosts to achieve the level of a full-shifter. Perhaps, this stone was also left behind by a Host. Otherwise, no one would spend so much effort to seal so many almighty beasts' will.

Although Merlin was slightly disappointed at these low-tier almighty beasts' will, finding them was already a challenge. Therefore, Merlin mobilized his Awareness to draw out the almighty beasts' will from the stone.

"Devour and merge!"

Merlin's enormous will exerted itself on these almighty beasts' will. Presently, Merlin's will could terrorize any almighty beast's will, including high-tier almighty beasts'.

Under the suppression of this terrifying will, Merlin had devoured the thirty or so almighty beasts' will. The almighty beast's will which was nestled in his Awareness roared furiously as it underwent frenzied transformations.

His scales became tougher and his spikes became sharper. The almighty beast's body also expanded another fold. Anyone who saw him would feel threatened.

"My Supreme Talent hasn't improved!"

Merlin frowned. He initially thought that as he continued to devour more almighty beasts' will, eventually, he would undergo a truly "qualitative" transformation.

However, until now, he seemed just like a bottomless pit. No matter how many almighty beasts' will he had devoured, there was no "qualitative" transformation.

"I'm still lacking something… I'm looking forward to seeing a qualitative transformation. I wonder, to what extent can a Host transform? Will I become a sacred beast?"

Merlin was very much looking forward to it. According to his speculation, although he had yet to undergo any transformation, as long as he continued to merge with the parasites, he would eventually succeed.

However, before the transformation succeeded, Merlin could only enhance his body strength. His defense was sufficiently hardy now. Regardless of Farron's attacks, he was unable to cause Merlin any significant harm.

So, even if Merlin became more powerful, it would only make it more difficult for Farron to break through his defenses. It still would not help Merlin defeat Farron's Supreme Talent.

"Farron's Mirror Talent isn't infallible. As long as I can find its loophole and break through his Mirror Talent, Farron is no longer a threat!"

Merlin creased his forehead. He knew the Supreme Talents of powerful existences such as Farron and Doomsday were truly durable. It was very difficult, perhaps even impossible, to break through their Talents.

As for loopholes, those were even trickier. If the loopholes were easily discovered, then Farron and Doomsday would not have become so powerful.

Though Merlin could not discover any loophole for now, he would not give up. Instead, using Mind Power, he simulated Farron's Mirror Talent over and over again in his Awareness. This was another use of Merlin's remaining Mind Power.

Nonetheless, this was a very drawn-out process which, in the end, might turn out to be futile…

Chapter 1001: Candora Trio-Lords!

Doomsday City, despite its name and Doomsday's presence, did not contain any aura of bloodshed. On the contrary, it was a peaceful city with bustling trade.

Currently, the biggest castle in Doomsday City had a tense environment. Here, there was not a single guard in place. The entire castle seemed almost deserted.

There were five strange men in the castle. Anyone familiar with Holy Dragon Empire's rebel army forces would be astonished because these five were the strongest rebel army leaders.

Among them, Doomsday was seated at the top. Below him were the Phantom King, the Shadow King, the Liberator, and the Nine-lives Werewolf. These top five rebel army leaders controlled most of the rebel forces. Their combined force was immensely powerful and posed the most prominent threat to the Holy Dragon royal family.

Moreover, all of them were top-level full-shifter existences. Their Supreme Talents had been honed to the utmost limit. Each of them was evenly matched with Farron.

Seeing that these five people had gathered in Doomsday City, they must be discussing a major issue.

Doomsday was the first to speak. "Everyone, I'm honored that you came here today. Now, the time has come. We've conquered the entire Holy Dragon Empire, some small territories notwithstanding. Only Holy Dragon City hasn't been conquered. Holy Dragon City is the essence of the Holy Dragon royal family. Just one or two of us wouldn't be able to conquer Holy Dragon City. Therefore, only by joining forces and working together, we'll have hopes of conquering Holy Dragon City. If we succeed, everyone will get what they wish for. Furthermore, the Holy Dragon Empire will be divided into five sections. For the next hundred years, there mustn't be any conflict between us. What do you think?

Doomsday voiced out his proposal. The reason he had gathered the five main rebel army leaders was to discuss the final battle. As long as they could conquer Holy Dragon City, the Holy Dragon Empire would be their dominion in the future.

Thinking of the prospect, the five rebel army leaders were somewhat excited. This was because as long as Holy Dragon City remained standing, it was a potential threat to them. All of them knew that the Holy Dragon royal family was not as weak as they seemed on the surface.

Nevertheless, the five main rebel army leaders knew the royal family's true strength. Hence, the glamorous-looking and androgynous-sounding Phantom King spoke shrilly, "Doomsday, hehe, who doesn't know that the Holy Dragon royal family is hiding the head of the Sacred Lion Beast? Tsk, there are also those old folks who are kept under wraps by the royal family – none of them are half-assed opponents. If we're not careful, we might even be in danger."

Although the Shadow King was not well-liked, his words were on-point. The royal family had never been docile. All of them knew the royal family's prowess. It appeared that the royal family, too, had been amassing their strength. As soon as they had sufficient strength, they would possess utterly crushing abilities.

"Gentlemen, the royal family is indeed difficult to deal with but to be fair, we don't know what the royal family is up to. We only know that the royal family seems to be amassing their strength. If we wait for them to finish amassing their strength, it could be potentially disastrous for us. Moreover, this attack won't just be comprised by the five of us."

When Doomsday finished speaking, everyone had a look of surprise. Among the rebel armies in the Holy Dragon Empire, only the five of them had reached the same level. As for the ordinary full-shifters, regardless of number, their presence was inconsequential.

"Three of you, please come out."

As soon as Doomsday spoke, three men in long golden robes emerged from behind the main hall. However, if one were to look closely, they would be baffled to discover that all three of them looked the same.

These three identical men exuded an imposing aura that, even without saying a word, inspired foreboding in the hearts of those present.

"Candora Trio-Lords? I didn't expect that even the Candora Empire would intervene!"

The white-robed Liberator, who had not spoken previously, gazed sharply, almost as if there was a tinge of resentment and dissatisfaction.

The men known as Candora Trio-Lords smiled. "Liberator, you also originated from the Candora Empire but there were some unfortunate mishaps. The royal family expresses our regrets."

The Liberator came from the Candora Empire. Most probably, there was some conflict between him and the Candora royal family.

"Hehe, Candora Trio-Lords, if the Candora Empire is intervening, then we'll have to be more careful."

The Shadow King replied acerbically. The rebel army leaders were not very fond of the Candora Empire. After all, during the Holy Dragon Empire's most glorious era, its power was almost enough to dominate the Candora Empire. Many conflicts had erupted between the two empires and there was even a "blood grudge" between them.

This time, the Holy Dragon Empire was strife with internal conflict. The empire was severely fractured and was currently at its weakest state. For the Candora Empire to intervene now meant that they were trying to infiltrate the Holy Dragon Empire amid the chaos. So, even if the rebel army leaders succeeded in conquering Holy Dragon City, they might have to face the Candora Empire's army next.

Hence, these rebel army leaders were unhappy about the Candora Empire's participation.

"The Candora Empire only wants the head of the Sacred Lion Beast! We will not touch the rest of the bounty such as the royal family treasure chest. Moreover, we promise that we won't invade the Holy Dragon Empire within a hundred years. How about that?"

The man who appeared to be the leader of the Candora Trio-Lords spoke.

"The Candora Empire truly has an enormous appetite. Right at the beginning, you've already demanded the head of the Sacred Lion Beast. Of all the empires on the mainland, only the Holy Dragon Empire has the head of the Sacred Lion Beast! You're snatching the most precious treasure just like that. How can that be?"

The Liberator was the first to object, followed by nods of agreement from the other rebel army leaders. All of them coveted the head of the Sacred Lion Beast. After all, the head of the Sacred Lion Beast would allow them to level-up and decipher the secrets of the sacred beasts.

At their level, the only valuable reference material to help level-up was the legendary sacred beasts. Even though the Holy Dragon royal family had not been able to decipher the secret of the sacred beast despite possessing it for so many years, and the chance was only one in a million, these rebel army leaders would not give up.

The Candora Trio-Lords furrowed their brows. They had already expected that it would not be easy.

"Since all of you disagree, then we'll do it this way. First, we conquer Holy Dragon City and wipe out the Holy Dragon royal family. Then, we'll each rely on our skills to determine who gets the head of the Sacred Lion Beast. How about that?"

The Candora Trio-Lords seemed extremely confident to suggest such a proposal. After all, the five rebel army leaders held an advantage in terms of numbers.

Doomsday finally said, "Gentlemen, I think this is a good proposal. With the addition of the Candora Trio-Lords, we'll have eight ultimate contenders in total. Even if Holy Dragon City has those old folks under wraps, they won't be able to do much. Holy Dragon City must fall!"

Doomsday categorized all the contenders at their level as ultimate contenders because they no longer had any room to move forward. Each of them had reached their ultimate limits. The only competition was in terms of Supreme Talents.

Doomsday's statement enticed the rebel army leaders. All of them were very confident in their abilities and were convinced that they would not lose. As long as they got rid of the ultimate contenders from the Holy Dragon royal family, the entire Holy Dragon Empire would collapse in an instant. Then, they would each cut-up a territory and establish five smaller kingdoms.

Perhaps, if they were lucky, they could even get their hands on the head of the Sacred Lion Beast to be studied further. Then, like the ancestors of the Holy Dragon royal family, they could use the head of the Sacred Lion Beast to dominate the entire Holy Dragon Empire!

Seeing the fiery heat in the eyes of those present, Doomsday and the Candora Trio-Lords smiled. They knew that no one could resist the temptation…

Chapter 1002: Prelude

In the Holy Dragon City palace, anxiety plastered across the King's face as he read Farron's updates. His brows furrowed deeper.

"Farron, have Doomsday disappeared along with Shadow King, Liberator, Phantom King, and Nine-Lives Werewolf? All of them disappeared at the same time. What are they trying to do?"

The King's tone turned slightly frosty.

"They're going to go berserk…"

"Berserk?"

The King's face darkened. He knew that these five people were the strongest forces among the rebel armies in the Holy Dragon Empire. The five of them practically represented all the rebel armies.

"Just the five of them? They're too reckless. The Holy Dragon Empire has been passed down for a thousand years. Would it be so easy?"

The King scoffed. These five were too reckless. True, the Holy Dragon Empire had not been stable in recent years. Although the number of strong contenders achieving the "ultimate limit" continued to grow, most of them had became rebels.

Meanwhile, in the royal family, other than the old folks who were kept hidden, none of the younger generations had managed to produce an ultimate contender. As time passed, the gradual weakening of the royal family became apparent.

Nevertheless, just because the royal family had weakened, it did not mean that they could be "toppled" by five ultimate contenders.

Looking at the confident glint in the King's eyes, many thoughts flashed across Farron's mind. Even though Farron held the King's absolute trust, he did not know how many old folks the royal family had hidden away, especially those who had achieved the "ultimate".

This so-called ultimate simply meant that they were on par with Farron and had cultivated their Supreme Talents to the utmost limit where it could no longer be further enhanced. Everyone belonged at the same level, so the only comparison hinged on the respective effects and strength of their Supreme Talents.

Such "ultimate" contenders were truly formidable. They were the pillars of an empire. If not for these ultimate contenders, the Holy Dragon Empire would not have been passed down for a thousand years.

"The royal family probably have two, maybe three or even up to four ultimate contenders!"

Farron could only guess. If there were three or more ultimate contenders, plus Farron and Holy Dragon City's accumulated experience, they had nothing to fear from those five rebel army leaders.

"However, will it be so simple?"

Farron still felt slightly uneasy. Suddenly, a familiar figure flashed across his mind.

"Perhaps, he'll be a variable…"

Although this person was a potential variable, Farron was no longer able to eliminate him.

…

In the castle on the outskirts of town, Merlin was simulating Farron's ability repeatedly in his mind. He had run this simulation over ten thousand times and had exhausted all kinds of methods and almost every possibility.

Nevertheless, Merlin still failed to find Farron's weakness. It was almost as if he was flawless. Merlin did not believe that there was any person in this world without a flaw. The only reason Merlin could not find the flaw was simply because he did not know his opponent well enough.

Particularly regarding Farron's Mirror Talent, Merlin's understanding was too lacking. How would it be possible for Merlin to find a flaw with such a limited understanding of the talent? It was completely impossible!

However, this did not mean that Merlin was defeated. His physical form was still the most powerful. Merlin was unafraid of any attack from other ultimate contenders. On the other hand, if Merlin had inadvertently discovered the flaw of an ultimate contender's Supreme Talent, his opponent was doomed. This was Merlin's most terrifying aspect.

Regardless, only a handful of people knew of Merlin's true prowess.

"Honorable Marquis, the Princess Royal has sent someone to summon you."

Suddenly, the butler's voice sounded outside the secret chamber. Previously, Merlin had instructed that no one should disturb him, except for matters of utmost importance. In that circumstance, the butler was allowed to report to him.

"The Princess Royal?"

Merlin took a deep breath. He had a premonition that something big had happened. Otherwise, had the Princess Royal become impatient so soon? Nonetheless, Merlin still had no confidence in defeating Farron at this stage.

Merlin did not continue guessing. He stood up and left the secret chamber. In the hall of the castle, a blond-haired man was standing respectfully. Upon seeing Merlin, he bowed and said, "Honorable Marquis Leon, the Princess Royal has a very important matter to speak to you about."

"Lead the way."

Merlin did not doubt that this blond-haired man was one of the Princess Royal's guards. Merlin had seen him many times before, so he held no suspicion toward the guard. The fact that the Princess Royal had sent this guard to fetch him meant that something serious must have happened.

Soon, Merlin entered the Princess Royal's palace. Currently, the Princess Royal's brows were tightly furrowed as her face expressed worry. When she finally saw Merlin, her expression evened out gradually.

"Leon, sorry for disturbing you and your wives but this matter is truly important. Doomsday and some other rebel armies – a total of five ultimate contenders – are getting ready to attack Holy Dragon City!"

As soon as the Princess Royal saw Merlin, she informed him immediately.

"Doomsday and four other rebel army leaders are coming to Holy Dragon City? Why didn't I receive any news from Phantom?"

Merlin's face changed slightly. In the past, he would receive intelligence from Phantom at first instance but in the past few days, there had been no such news forthcoming.

It was impossible that Phantom did not receive the news. As the Holy Dragon royal family's most powerful Intelligence Department, Phantom was always the first to receive new information. It was infallible. Merlin was well-aware of Phantom's powerful abilities.

"Leon, the reason you haven't received any news is probably due to Farron reinforcing control over Phantom!"

The Princess Royal's reply made Merlin's heart sink slightly. Indeed, he had underestimated Farron. No matter what, Farron had been the Minister of Phantom for decades. His influence had far surpassed someone like Merlin who had appeared out of nowhere. Perhaps, before this, Farron had deliberately facilitated Merlin's "smooth journey" in Phantom Intelligence Department but at the most critical moment, Farron could easily regain complete control over Phantom Intelligence Department.

"It looks like I've miscalculated Farron's foundation. Nonetheless, Doomsday and the others' arrival in Holy Dragon City shouldn't be our concern but rather the King and Farron's."

Merlin knew that the royal family's foundation was very well-established, especially the old folks of the royal family. There were at least three or more ultimate contenders and each of them was at least as powerful, if not more powerful than Farron!

As long as these old folks of the royal family were still alive, trying to conquer Holy Dragon City was nothing more than a joke.

However, the Princess Royal's expression remained tense. She did not relax the slightest. She did not believe that the five main rebel army leaders would come on a whim. The rebels' knowledge of the royal family was very thorough, so it was impossible for them not to know the royal family's foundations.

"I still feel that it won't be as simple as it seems. Doomsday is usually very meticulous, otherwise, he would've conquered Holy Dragon City a long time ago. Therefore, this time, the five of them must possess some degree of confidence!"

The Princess Royal was still a member of the royal family. If the royal family's rule was toppled by the rebel armies, then her huge ambition would amount to nothing.

Merlin nodded. "I understand. Lisa, what do you want to do?"

The Princess Royal paced back and forth, one possibility after another flashed across her mind. The ambition in her heart grew. Perhaps, this time, the royal family was truly in danger but at the same time, there were hidden opportunities amid the danger.

"Leon, maybe, this will be our chance!"

Looking at the Royal Princess' ambition-fueled gaze, Merlin realized that the situation would become even more complicated. Nonetheless, the Princess Royal had made up her mind.

"Lisa, this will indeed be a chance but it won't be easy to grasp it…"

"We'll only know if we try. Moreover, Leon, I believe in you!"

The two of them smiled at one another. The Princess Royal might be ambitious and longed for power but she had absolute confidence in Merlin. This much was enough for him!

Merlin took a deep breath. He suddenly looked forward to Doomsday and the others' siege into Holy Dragon City. Perhaps, thereafter, a new era would begin…

Chapter 1003: Tempest Stirring I

Holy Dragon City was as its usual calm and quiet. In the morning, it was still shrouded in mist. The sun had just appeared and had not managed to dispel the thick mist but the weather was pleasant.

"Swish."

No one noticed that a few dark shadows had slipped quietly into Holy Dragon City. No one knew what technique it was either. It seemed like these people merely consisted of shadows.

Yes, shadows. Even if they stood right in front of someone, they would not be seen. All people could see was a dark shadow. This was none other than the Shadow King's formidable technique.

The Shadow King's Supreme Talent was forming a shadow that blended perfectly with the surrounding environment and impossible to find.

Therefore, the Shadow King's stealth attacks were extremely horrifying, even more so than Shadowthorn. With the Shadow King's help, Doomsday and the others were able to slip into Holy Dragon City without any problem.

"Holy Dragon City, pfft, what's the big deal about it? We thought that they would've some advanced techniques but we've managed to slip in quietly and the royal family has yet to find out…"

Amid the darkness, a disdainful voice piped up. No one knew which ultimate contender it was but his tone was certainly scornful.

"By the way, why didn't the Candora Trio-Lords show up?"

The Shadow King asked gruffly.

"They have their way of entering Holy Dragon City, so they won't come with us."

Doomsday replied, unruffled.

"Hehe, more like they're trying to take advantage of us? The Candora Trio-Lords are certainly not to be trusted."

These ultimate contenders were all wary of the Candora Trio-Lords.

"Doomsday, you're most familiar with Holy Dragon City. Where should we go now?"

Doomsday thought deeply. Based on his knowledge of Holy Dragon City as well as his thorough understanding of Farron, Doomsday did not believe that Holy Dragon City did not know anything.

"You'd better not underestimate the royal family. Perhaps, while we were getting ready, the royal family already knew that we're coming… There might be an ambush but what can they do? Pitted against absolute strength, all their schemes won't amount to anything. Let's go directly to the palace. The head of the Sacred Lion Beast is also in there."

The corners of Doomsday's mouth gradually morphed into a sinister smile. They had prepared for this for a long time. Doomsday was very knowledgeable about the royal family. Besides, he knew that Phantom Intelligence Department's intelligence-gathering ability was far beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

Doomsday knew that most likely their whereabouts had been tracked by the royal family, who were currently waiting for them to "spring the trap".

However, it was difficult to tell who would ultimately have the last laugh.

"Haha, yes, directly to the palace. What kind of shady tricks could stump us? Besides the ultimate contenders, who else can stand against us?"

The Shadow King laughed. Then, he manipulated the shadows and slinked silently toward the palace.

…

In the magnificent palace, the King was seated on a big chair. Currently, he was surrounded by many unfamiliar but powerful contenders. These were the full-shifters in the palace. They were not comparable to the ultimate contenders but could still guarantee the King's safety for at least a short time.

Standing before the King was Farron. Currently, Farron appeared calm as he reported softly, "Your Majesty, they've arrived. For now, we've only discovered five people. They're Doomsday, Phantom King, Shadow King, Liberator, and the Nine-lives Werewolf respectively."

Upon hearing these names, the King sneered in derision. "Hmph, I see they're all here. Good, very good since they're seeking their deaths by coming to Holy Dragon City. Get ready to attack. If all the five main rebel army leaders are dead, it'll just be a matter of time before we quash the remaining rebel forces."

The King's eyes seemed to be glowing with zealousness. Farron was reminded of a scene many years ago when the King had just ascended the throne.

Back then, the King was full of zeal. The Holy Dragon Empire was far from any turmoil and the King planned to bring the Holy Dragon Empire into a more glorious era.

However, it was only after he became King that he realized the Holy Dragon Empire was a dried-up husk. The aristocrats had grown too powerful to be controlled. Many aristocratic rulers disregarded the royal family's authority. Coupled with the gradual weakening of the royal family's descendants and the lack of talented individuals, the royal family's authority began to decline.

Later, the rebellions erupted and quickly spread throughout the entire empire. Although the Holy Dragon Empire was at risk, it also presented an opportunity for the royal family.

The influences of the aristocratic rulers were too widespread. Within their respective territories, the aristocratic rulers' words had overshadowed the royal family's orders.

However, after this rebellion, the number of aristocratic rulers had been whittled down ten to one. This was akin to a new beginning. For this reason, the King had given the rebellion some leeway.

Nevertheless, there would always be unexpected developments such as the birth of five ultimate contenders. This caught the royal family by surprise and had complicated the situation.

Right now, these five rebel army leaders even dared to come to Holy Dragon City and attempt to overthrow the Holy Dragon royal family. This made the King maniacally furious.

"Hmph, these ignorant rebels, do they think that the royal family is so weak? Oh well, the empire has been chaotic for quite a long time, so now's a good time to put an end to it."

The King's zealous aura made Farron smile. This was more like the King from his memory!

…

Meanwhile, many powerful contenders had gathered in the Princess Royal's palace. The Princess Royal had recruited these full-shift contenders.

The Princess Royal was wearing a grave expression. Softly, she asked Merlin, "Leon 1, have you investigated the matter about Phantom Intelligence Department? What happened to your subordinates?"

Merlin had already investigated it. Looking poised, he whispered, "Yes, Farron had used some means but it's alright, they just can't come out for a while. Once everything is over, I'll go to Phantom Intelligence Department to resolve the issue."

Merlin had learned about circumstances surrounding Shiya, Iza, and the others. Indeed, Farron had done something to them. Nonetheless, they were not in danger, which meant that during this critical period, Farron simply wished for Merlin not to create trouble. Farron had not completely severed ties with Merlin yet.

The Princess Royal nodded and did not say anything. Her expression was extremely solemn. Although they no longer had Phantom's intelligence, the Princess Royal still had other means to know what was happening.

"Swish."

Suddenly, a black shadow appeared in the main hall. This person was completely wrapped in black silk and wore a mask, so his or her face could not be seen.

"Your Highness Princess Royal, although we still haven't found any trace of Doomsday and the others, I'm afraid they've already entered Holy Dragon City."

The mysterious black-cloaked person reported.

"Entered Holy Dragon City? How is that possible?"

The Princess Royal was doubtful. Holy Dragon City was under careful surveillance. Anyone who entered Holy Dragon City would be discovered in no time.

After a long moment, Merlin said, "The Shadow King. Allegedly, he can move around undetected. Unless he deliberately shows himself, no one can find him."

Merlin's words struck a chord in the Princess Royal. Indeed, she now recalled the intelligence collected on the Shadow King. However, it used to be mere rumors. She did not expect that the Shadow King possessed such an ability.

"It looks like I've underestimated the Supreme Talents of the ultimate contenders. It'll be difficult to predict their abilities based on ordinary logic."

The Princess Royal took a deep breath. She now knew where her attention should be.

"Go, pay attention to King Father's palace. Once there's any movement, report to me immediately!"

Once the Princess Royal finished speaking, the black shadow in the main hall disappeared once again, almost like a ghostly spirit.

Merlin turned his gaze outside the hall. The sun had gradually dispelled the mist in the air. He knew that today was destined to be an extraordinary day…

Chapter 1004: Tempest Stirring II

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

In the palace, the King was surrounded by many full-shift contenders. It seemed like a great enemy was approaching. All of them were extremely vigilant. Although Farron stood below where the King was, it was still five ultimate contenders they were dealing with. So, even the full-shift contenders dared not let down their guard.

Every ultimate contender possessed some strange and unfathomable talents. Generally, all full-shifters possessed Supreme Talents but compared to the ultimate contenders, their Supreme Talents were almost negligible. They were not as powerful as the full-shift ultimate contenders.

Other than the full-shifters, there were also a few Fourth-form shifter guards. They were the backup. Thus, the entire palace was tightly-packed with people.

"Creak."

Suddenly, a slit appeared on the palace door as it was pushed open from the outside. Everyone held their breath and stared at the door.

However, when the door opened, they saw that it was only a palace maid carrying a cup of tea. She was coming to freshen the King's tea.

"Phew…"

Everyone relaxed slightly. The palace maid respectfully brought the teacup to the King. Just as she was changing the teacups, a guard ran in hurriedly.

"What happened?"

The King furrowed his brows.

Perhaps, the guard felt nervous seeing so many powerful contenders. In a trembling voice, he replied, "Your Majesty, the guards in the outer periphery did not find any traces of Doomsday and the others."

"They did not find them?"

The King did not seem surprised. It would be stranger if they were discovered by the external guards.

"Alright, you may go."

The King waved his hand and dismissed the guard.

The guard lowered his head. No one noticed that at the moment he stood up, his eyes suddenly became vacant.

"Boom."

The guard's body shifted in an instant and turned into a huge black wolf. Before anyone could respond, he darted straight for the king.

This sudden development was unexpected. Most people did not respond in time. Before their eyes, the guard's huge wolf-form was about to rip the king's body.

Finally, a few contenders with quicker responses wielded their shapeshift forms. The full-shifters used their bodies to physically block the huge wolf's attack.

"Chi."

The wolf's sharp claws dug into the full-shifter who stood before the king. Fortunately, he was a full-shifter, so his body was immensely tough. The claws only managed to cause a minor injury that healed quickly.

"Die!"

Many other full-shifters also regained their senses and wielded their shapeshift forms. They lunged toward the huge wolf and in an instant, it was easily killed.

The thick stench of blood filled the palace. The atmosphere was very tense and even somewhat awkward because no one dared to say anything. No one knew why this guard would suddenly attempt an assassination.

"Swish."

Amid this tense atmosphere, the king was completely incensed. He did not notice that the palace maid beside him had pulled out a dagger from her sleeves. Then, she stabbed the king.

"Roar!"

The palace maid's strength was not great as she was just an ordinary person without any almighty beast bloodline. Upon being stabbed, at the most critical moment, the king had shapeshifted and roared at the palace maid. She was sent flying into the air and shaken to death.

The palace maid's attempted assassination did not cause any harm to the king but it gave him a flicker of fear. He did not understand why an ordinary palace maid would try to kill him.

"What's the reason? Why are these people trying to assassinate me?"

The king's voice was low but contained depths of murderous intent. Two consecutive assassinations without any rhyme or reason were simply preposterous.

"Rumble rumble rumble."

Suddenly, the Third- and Fourth-form shifters who were hiding in the dark wielded their shapeshift forms and rushed toward the King at the same time. By their looks, they were filled with murderous intent toward one person – the king!

All the full-shifters beside the king wielded their full-shift forms and killed these Third- and Fourth-form guards. The entire palace turned into a bloodbath. Every corner was filled with the pungent stench of death.

"What in the world is happening?"

The king looked around. He was beginning to doubt his surroundings. Even he was suspicious at these full-shift contenders beside him. No one knew who would be the next person to assassinate the king.

"Your Majesty, are these people spies for the rebel armies? Perhaps they've deliberately infiltrated the palace just for this opportunity. This time, they've received orders from the rebel army leaders to launch an attack on Sire at all cost."

Some of the full-shifters came to this conclusion after a "careful analysis".

"Spies? That's ridiculous. Some of these guards have worked for me for several decades. Back then, the rebel armies haven't even exist. How can they become spies?"

The king almost snarled. He did not believe that these people were spies. He was not a fool. When he first became king, he had great ambitions. Therefore, he was certain that this incident was not as simple as it appeared.

"Perhaps…"

"Thump."

Before the king completed his sentence, the previously unmoving Farron stood up and stomped his foot firmly onto the ground. The sound reverberated clearly throughout the now-silent palace.

Everyone turned their eyes to Farron. They knew that Farron was the king's true confidante and also a powerful ultimate contender.

"Farron, do you know something that I don't?"

The king squinted. He had absolute trust in Farron.

Farron closed his eyes momentarily. Then, he spoke slowly, "There's no need to guess anymore. Your Majesty, I know what's going on. They've arrived!"

"Who? Doomsday?"

The king's expression shifted dramatically along with the numerous full-shifters around him. After all, they came prepared to fight Doomsday. The original plan was for Doomsday and the others to spring their trap but now, they did not even realize that the opponents had arrived.

However, after a flurry of panicking, they immediately checked their surroundings. They did not detect any trace of Doomsday or the others. If not for Farron's unmistakable authority and infallible logic, some of them might have been tempted to reproach Farron.

Instead, only the king frowned and said, "Farron, are your senses mistaken? Where's Doomsday?"

Farron did not answer at once. Loudly, he growled into the surrounding. "Doomsday, since you're here, why don't you show yourself? The Phantom King is indeed powerful. You've given us a massive gift right under our noses!"

"The Phantom King?"

At this moment, the king and the others had finally realized that Doomsday's group also included the Phantom King.

It was rumored that the Phantom King had hundreds of thousands of phantom duplicates, which could catch people off guard. However, it was difficult for those who had never confronted the Phantom King to understand his true ability.

Farron's words echoed in the palace. For some time, no one responded.

Just as everyone was feeling overwhelmed and anxious, the corpse of a guard who had just been killed slowly stood up. His empty eye sockets sent chills down everybody's spines.

"Hehe, outstanding as usual, Farron. You've discovered us so soon. Even so, what can you do? As long as you can't find us and can't circumvent the Shadow King's Supreme Talent, get ready to enjoy endless terror! Haha!"

The laughter emitted by the corpse caused goosebumps among those in the palace. This was a dead body yet it could stand up and speak.

Despite knowing that this was the Phantom King's Supreme Talent, it was difficult to suppress the growing terror in their hearts.

Soon, other than this corpse, more corpses on the ground began to stand. Their eyes were hollow and they were emotionless.

Even the full-shifters sucked in a breath of cold air. They did not know what kind of terrifying Supreme Talent this Phantom King had that allowed him to "control" these corpses.

Chapter 1005: Tempest Stirring III

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Seeing the corpses becoming "alive" again caused many full-shift contenders to feel their blood run cold. Nevertheless, Farron merely sneered. "Phantom King, foolish trick!"

After Farron huffed contemptuously, he wielded a shapeshifted arm and slammed down. A terrifying aura descended and mashed the corpses into a sludgy flesh mix. This way, no matter how powerful the Phantom King was, it was impossible to manipulate a pile of sludge.

"Hehe, it's indeed Farron. Doomsday, Farron is your old friend, I'll leave him to you."

The Phantom King's silky voice resounded. Following that, a black shadow appeared in the great hall as if "walking out" of the void.

Farron fixed his sight. This was the opponent whom he had battled several times before – the so-called "old friend", Doomsday!

Doomsday was here. Farron looked behind Doomsday. There was no one there but Farron knew that the Shadow King must have concealed himself once again. The Shadow King's strange ability it difficult to track where he was.

"Hehe, leaving already? Since you dare to enter the palace, you'll never leave…"

Suddenly, a taciturn but faintly elderly-sounding voice resounded. An old man with a head full of white hair and bursting with energy emerged from behind the king. A murderous aura flared from the old man.

"Show yourself!"

The old man snarled. His body gave off a white light that shrouded the entire great hall. At the same time, a dark shadow appeared not too far away from the king.

"Found you!"

The old man jeered. This shadow was most likely the Shadow King. He was trying to approach the king but his plan was foiled when the old man revealed his whereabouts.

The old man immediately shapeshifted. His entire being seemed to be shrouded in a layer of holy light. However, this holy light seemed to be burning. The brilliance drove a violent slap at the shadow.

"Crash."

There was a loud noise as the shadow was broken. Four people appeared in the great hall. They were the Shadow King, the Phantom King, the Liberator, and the Nine-lives Werewolf.

The Shadow King narrowed his eyes. "It's the old folk hidden away by the royal family. Impressive, truly impressive, he managed to break my Shadow Incarnation!"

The so-called Shadow Incarnation was the Shadow King's shadow form. No one could detect his tracks so he could lay an ambush or escape unnoticed.

Right now, however, the Shadow King's Shadow Incarnate had been destroyed by this mysterious old man.

"Hehe, no matter how impressive he may be, it's four against one. Kill!"

The person who spoke was the Liberator. His most powerful skill was his arm. Even his Supreme Talent was contained in this arm.

"Liberate!"

The brilliant rays in the air formed a huge arm that could draw people from the deepest abyss. A tremendous pressure immediately descended on the old man.

Each member of the royal family, upon becoming an ultimate contender, was extremely formidable. This was because they possessed a top-tier almighty beast bloodline. Nonetheless, this top-tier almighty beast bloodline was one that was forcefully induced from the the Sacred Lion Beast's head a long time ago.

Compared to other full-shifters, they were almost invincible but compared to the ultimate contenders, the royal family had a fatal disadvantage. Since their bloodline was birthed by force, their Supreme Talents, even at the ultimate limit, were not far superior to ultimate contenders from high-tier almighty beast bloodlines.

Their Supreme Talents might even be a little worse off than some of the ultimate contenders who had a more unique high-tier almighty beast. This was the natural balance of strength and weakness present in all creatures. Prior to becoming the ultimate contenders, the royal family had an absolute advantage over everyone else. However, after becoming ultimate contenders, they no longer gained any edge.

"Bang."

The Liberator and the old man from the royal family collided violently. For an instant, the entire palace shook as if it would collapse at any time. The collision between ultimate contenders was truly fearsome.

"Haha, old pal, can't hold on anymore? I guess both of us still have to chip in."

Behind the king, another two old men emerged – both ultimate contenders as well. The auras emanating from these two old men seemed to complement the first old man.

The three ultimate contenders of the royal family was confronting the four rebel army leaders.

"Today, none of you will escape!"

Although the three old men were outnumbered, the auras on their bodies complemented each other. The radiance on their bodies seemed to merge.

"Hum."

Suddenly, a frightening aura arose in the air. A layer of light shrouded the entire Holy Dragon City. Every person in the city was suppressed, and in the air, an apparition of an enormous head appeared.

"This… This is the Sacred Lion Beast's head?"

Instantly, all the rebel army leaders' heart sank. They might have underestimated the Holy Dragon royal family.

…

In the Princess Royal's palace, following the emergence of a trepidation aura, Merlin jumped to his feet and looked at the enormous head hanging in the sky.

"An apparition of the Sacred Lion Beast's head? It looks like the battle has begun…"

Merlin mumbled under his breath. He did not know why an apparition of the Sacred Lion Beast's head would appear but he knew that Doomsday and the others must have arrived.

"So, the rumor is true?"

Seeing the apparition of the Sacred Lion Beast's head in the air, the Princess Royal appeared shaken to the core.

"Lisa, what rumor is that?"

Merlin also gazed at the Sacred Lion Beast's head in the air. He could feel a slight suppression.

The Princess Royal pointed at the Sacred Lion Beast's head. Gently, she said, "The Sacred Lion Beast's head is the foundation of the royal family. According to rumors, the royal family has a technique that is mastered exclusively by the ultimate contenders, which are the old folks. They can mobilize a portion of power from the Sacred Lion Beast's head. Originally, I thought that it's merely an exaggeration but surprisingly, it's true."

The Princess Royal stared at the Sacred Lion Beast's head in the sky, obviously astounded.

"The battle must be in full swing now. Lisa, we should go there at once. If we're late, something might happen…"

Merlin squinted his eyes. Most probably, the situation in the Holy Dragon Empire would change drastically from today onward.

The Princess Royal considered for a moment but quickly raised her head. Her eyes were filled with conviction.

"Let's go, Leon. No matter what, I'm first and foremost the Princess Royal of the royal family. So, we should get rid of Doomsday and the others first."

The Princess Royal stared at Merlin with a pair of doe eyes. At this time, the Princess Royal was still able to sort out her priorities. The royal family must remain standing for her to fight for the throne.

If the royal family no longer existed, then her fight was meaningless.

"I understand."

Merlin nodded. Together with Lisa, he strode toward the king's palace.

Chapter 1006: Tempest Stirring IV

Currently, the palace had descended into a chaotic battle. The place collapsed with a loud rumble. The scope of the fighting had widened immensely. Even outside the palace, one could see almighty beasts engaged in a furious battle.

Nonetheless, the current situation was not favorable for Doomsday and the rest. The five of them initially had the advantage of numbers but the three old folks of the royal family had unleashed an unknown technique, summoning an apparition of the Sacred Lion Beast's head. Their powers swelled up and they soon suppressed Doomsday's group.

"It looks like I don't have to lift a finger!"

A smirk flitted over Farron's lips as he stared at the Sacred Lion Beast's head in the sky. He could sense a stifling power and felt extremely stunned.

These were just the three elders of the royal family, who were similarly ultimate contenders. Farron was confident in taking on one or even two of them but when they joined forces, especially within Holy Dragon City, they became too terrifying. Farron knew that even if he joined Doomsday, making up six ultimate contenders, it would be useless. They could not possibly contend against these three elders of the royal family at all.

This was the royal family's trump card which had been passed down over a thousand years. How could it be that simple to overpower the Sacred Lion Beast's head?

"What frightening power. This power is far too formidable!"

"The power of the Sacred Lion Beast… This is the power of the Sacred Lion Beast. We were too careless, way too careless. We forgot that the Holy Dragon royal family had studied the Sacred Lion Beast's head for over a millennium. How could they not have learned something?"

"Doomsday, what do we do now? We're already trapped here and even the Shadow King has nowhere to run to."

In terms of fighting capability, Doomsday was undoubtedly the mightiest one among the rebel army leaders. However, in terms of escaping, the Shadow King was unreservedly the number one.

Now, even Doomsday could not flee. This was enough to show that the Sacred Lion Beast's head had such a great effect on them. With its influence, if they did not think of some other plan, they would die here.

At the thought of death, whether it was the Shadow King or the other ultimate contenders, they felt a shudder deep in their hearts. They had become ultimate contenders with a long life expectancy. Why would they wish to die here?

"The Sacred Lion Beast's head is controlled by the Holy Dragon royal family. Still, it's nothing unexpected…"

Doomsday's mouth slowly twitched into a smirk as if he was not panicking and everything was still within his expectations.

"Doomsday, do you have a plan?"

The Shadow King asked hurriedly. Even though they were now somewhat unhappy with Doomsday, at this point, they still needed him, at least until they survived this crisis.

"A plan – of course, I don't have one…"

Doomsday's words caused everyone to widen their eyes. Many of them were starting to get angry. The Phantom King said darkly, "Doomsday, you're the one who organized our mission this time. If we can't escape, neither can you!"

Thereafter, the other four even surrounded Doomsday, preventing him to use some trick to escape without bringing them along.

"Hehe, they're still fighting among themselves in the face of death!"

The king felt smug when he saw this, even excited. The five great rebel army leaders controlled more than eighty percent of the rebel armies. Once they died in this palace, it would be easy to quell the chaos of the Holy Dragon Empire. This was what the king had long dreamed of.

Still, Doomsday did not seem flustered as he watched the apparition of the Sacred Lion Beast's head slowly pressing down on them. The tremendous pressure had halted their movements, making them sluggish.

At this moment, Doomsday's expression suddenly hardened as he growled, "Although I can't deal with this, someone else can!"

With that, Doomsday cast his gaze beyond the door. Currently, everyone noticed the three rays of light speeding directly toward the three ultimate contenders of the royal family. Moreover, these light rays did not seem affected by the Sacred Lion Beast's head at all.

"Die!"

"Bang bang bang."

There were loud crashes as the three ultimate contenders of the royal family were sent flying by some powerful energy before falling heavily to the ground. The Sacred Lion Beast's head in the sky also swiftly dispersed, reduced to mere specks of light.

"This…"

Everyone was stunned silent, not expecting the tide to turn so quickly. The three figures who had arrived so suddenly were three middle-aged men who looked exactly alike.

"The Candora Trio-Lords… Do you have the Candora Magic Mirror? It can eliminate all binding forces because it contains a strand of a sacred beast's will. I've never thought that the Candora Empire would get involved…"

The three elders of the royal family who were grievously injured had lost their strength to retaliate. The Candora Trio-Lords had been planning this for a long time. They would first use Doomsday and the rest to lure out all the elders of the royal family. When everyone else was pinned down, they would unleash a lightning strike.

It could be considered that they had succeeded. No one had thought that there would appear three ultimate contenders who could bypass the suppression of the Sacred Lion Beast's head. This defeat was practically a fatal one and the royal family was faced with tremendous danger.

"It looks like Candora had decided to get involved with my Holy Dragon Empire?"

The king still forced himself to remain composed at this time. The rebel armies were not the Holy Dragon Empire's biggest threat because with the royal family's strength, they would sort out the chaos within the empire sooner or later.

Nonetheless, things were less certain with the Candora Empire next to the Holy Dragon Empire. The current king of Candora was a man with aggressive ambitions, itching to annex the Holy Dragon Empire.

Even so, the previous Holy Dragon Empire was too robust, even stronger than the Candora Empire. Therefore, it could even suppress the Candora Empire, hindering its ability to launch an invasion. Candora even had a constant worry bout the Holy Dragon Empire invading them.

However, it was different now. After the internal chaos of the Holy Dragon Empire emerged, their strength had rapidly declined. The Candora Empire had schemed extensively, just waiting to take care of the Holy Dragon royal family for good. Thereafter, everything would be settled.

Of course, the most important thing was the Sacred Lion Beast's head. Although the Candora Empire had a treasure like the Candora Magic Mirror, how could it compare to the Sacred Lion Beast's head which increased the royal family's strength?

Furthermore, some people in the Candora Empire wished to use the Sacred Lion Beast's head to discover the secret of the sacred beasts so that they were one step closer to becoming mighty sacred beasts!

"Hehe, our Candora Empire had already discussed this with Doomsday and the other overlords. Your Holy Dragon royal family has controlled this empire for far too long. It's time for you to die. As long as you hand over the Sacred Lion Beast's head, perhaps a small part of your royal family's bloodline might still survive."

The Candora Trio-Lords looked exactly alike but were all ultimate contenders. They were the Candora Empire's strongest military force. They had even brought the Candora Magic Mirror with them. It was said that this was the treasure that could suppress a nation. It showed how well prepared the Candora Empire was this time, determined to win at all costs.

"Hehe, Candora Trio-Lords, what we've agreed on was that each of us would seize the Sacred Lion Beast's head by any means."

The Shadow King suddenly stepped forward with a cold smile. Furthermore, other than Doomsday, the four of them had subtly banded together. This made the Candora Trio-Lords frowned slightly, their eyes flashing with almost imperceptible killing intent.

Nonetheless, the Candora Trio-Lords could still evaluate the situation properly, so they nodded and said calmly, "That's to be expected. First, we need to make the Holy Dragon royal family reveal the location of the Sacred Lion Beast's head."

"You want the Sacred Lion Beast's head? You must be dreaming, haha. You'll never obtain the Sacred Lion Beast's head. As long as we have the Sacred Lion Beast's head, our royal family will never fall!"

The king's eyes were faintly bloodshot and his heart burst with rage. Those were the three elders of the royal family, their strongest force, but now, they were all gravely injured and faced with danger.

No, there was still one royal family elder, who was the strongest of them all! Unless it was a crucial moment of life and death, he would not appear.

"The elder who guards the treasure vault, if you don't show up, our royal family is surely done for!"

The king's heart was burning anxiously but he could not speak up. He knew that the elder must be observing them through some means. In terms of these elders, especially the one who guarded the treasure vault, even the three elders who had collapsed on the floor did not know how ancient that elder was. In short, before they had even become ultimate contenders, that old man who guarded the treasure vault was already there.

Of course, no one had seen that elder in action. Naturally, they did not know what his capability was. Nevertheless, that elder was truly the royal family's last hope.

"You won't say? No matter. We've prepared many things, enough to make you spill the beans obediently. Moreover, we have the Phantom King, hehe…"

At the mention of the Phantom King, the king's heart leapt in fright. The Phantom King's eerie abilities had made a deep impression on the king. If he was controlled by the Phantom King, he would have no way to guard his so-called secret.

"What? Still not speaking? Then, we'll take action ourselves!"

The Candora Trio-Lords snickered coldly as they strode toward the king.

"Swoosh."

Suddenly, someone appeared before the Candora Trio-Lords, blocking their way.

"Farron? I remember you're merely the Minister of the Phantom Intelligence Department? Back then, maybe the king had done a favor for you. However, it's been so many years. You must've repaid him. Today, the Holy Dragon royal family is finished. With just you alone, what plan do you have? Can you stop the eight of us?"

Naturally, the Candora Trio-Lords knew of Farron. Even if Farron was powerful, how could he stop eight ultimate contenders?

Farron eyed the Candora Trio-Lords but slightly shook his head, his expression unchanging as he said evenly, "Without His Majesty the King, I won't be here today. Your Majesty, I've said before that you've done me three huge favors. I've repaid two of them. Today, I'll pay off the third one, how's that? After this, whether you live or die, I'll leave…"

The king's expression was complex. He had never thought that Farron would still stand out at this time. This was practically suicide. Back then when he had helped Farron, it was merely a simple effort on his part.

"Alright, Farron, after this time, you can leave whenever you wish. You'll no longer owe me."

The king drew in a deep breath as he said gruffly.

Farron smiled and his eyes twinkled with an aggressive glint. He said to the Candora Trio-Lords, "Come on then, Candora Trio-Lords. Let me see how wonderful your Magic Mirror really is?"

"Is that so? You're not qualified to experience the Magic Mirror!"

The Candora Trio-Lords' bodied flashed with a murderous aura, following which they lunged toward Farron.

"It's our turn now."

Doomsday glanced at the Shadow King and the rest. When he noticed their wary looks, he did not say anything else. His body floated and he flew toward the king.

"Quick, let us attack too. Grab the king. I have a way of making him reveal the location of the Sacred Lion Beast's head."

The Phantom King said loudly. Instantly, the four of them moved at once, competing against Doomsday as they dashed toward the king at their highest speed.

"King Father!"

Suddenly, in the empty square, the Princess Royal appeared, her expression froze in astonishment.

Currently, the king had been seized by the Phantom King. The four of them were ahead of Doomsday by one step, and they seemed very fearful of Doomsday.

"Hehe, Doomsday, you must've gone over to the Candora Empire's side. However, that doesn't matter. You won't have a chance to get the Sacred Lion Beast's head."

The Shadow King spoke with an icy laugh.

Doomsday did not say anything and instead, directed his gaze toward the Princess Royal.

"Lisa…"

When the king saw Lisa, his face flashed with a complicated expression. Only at this moment did he seem like a true "King Father".

"Lisa, run away, as far as you can. Forget about revenge. Empires rise and fall. Our royal family will also have to face this day. Run away…"

The king shook his head powerlessly. Now, he only hoped that the members of the royal family could survive, even if it was just one of them.

The Princess Royal breathed in deeply. At this point, she seemed to be talking to a shadowy figure behind her as her voice steeled by a cold edge.

"I'm currently nothing more than a member of the royal family. Leon, if you can't handle this, leave. I won't go, I'll die in the palace…"

The Princess Royal's eyes revealed her willingness to die. As she saw the eight ultimate contenders, she suddenly felt her hopes turning to dust as she thought of how ridiculous her previous ambitions had been. In the present collapse of the royal family, all it took was one instant for everything to vanish.

The previous struggle now appeared so pale and powerless. Moreover, she knew that the eight ultimate contenders were beyond the range of what anyone could handle. Maybe Merlin could protect her and prevent her death but she did not wish to run away.

"Lisa, have you considered that this is an opportunity? I've said before, I'll help you fulfill your dreams, making you the most powerful woman in this world!"

Suddenly, the shadow behind the Princess Royal spoke in a low, detached voice. In the silent night sky, it sounded incomparably clear…

Chapter 1007: Nine Lives I

From the pitch dark shadows, a tall and slender figure appeared. In the eyes of the many ultimate contenders, this slim figure could not be considered "special".

Nonetheless, his eyes shone with a tranquil light. Perhaps among everyone present, he was the only one with such a calm gaze.

"Leon, you…"

When the Princess Royal heard what Merlin had said, her face trembled as she looked at Merlin with a complicated expression. The relationship between her and Merlin was one of constant enticements.

The Princess Royal had even exploited her "sex appeal" but was later discovered. Through constant enticement, the "sex appeal" she had given up was not of much use. In a dangerous situation like this, Merlin was more likely to leave right away. After all, that would be the right decision.

However, Merlin stayed on.

"Lisa, don't worry. What I've promised you, naturally, I'll help you achieve!"

A smirk gently tugged at the corner of Merlin's lips. Suddenly, he looked toward Farron who was under immense pressure.

Farron took a deep breath and said in a self-mocking tone, "Leon, I've never thought that we'll join forces and fight one day…"

It was true that in Farron's heart, Merlin was someone he must kill. Reconciliation was nearly impossible for them as they represented different interests.

However, faced with a common threat now, both of them joined forces to hold on until the end.

Merlin swept his gaze over before it finally settled on Doomsday. His expression slowly turned icy. "Doomsday, you once hunted me down. Today, I'll return the favor."

"Boom."

Rows of terrifying spurs swiftly appeared over Merlin's body as his body expanded. An incomparably fearsome almighty beast emerged.

This was no longer the appearance of the Blood-eye Dragon but a monster that was "neither fish nor fowl". The ultimate contenders who had shown up here were all widely knowledgeable. They recognized the appearances of almighty beasts very well. They had certainly never seen a creature like Merlin. It was too strange. Moreover, after Merlin had shapeshifted, that terrifying pressure descended upon everyone.

They were all ultimate contenders. It was rather inconceivable that such a frightening pressure would take hold of them.

"What almighty beast is this? Such a terrifying presence, especially its strength. How could it be so overwhelming in just pure strength?"

These ultimate contenders had relied on their Supreme Talents to become "ultimate contenders" so they found it difficult to imagine that someone like Merlin, who, by relying on his almighty beast body and its tyrannical strength, could compare to ultimate contenders.

"Roar…"

After Merlin had shapeshifted, he unleashed a furious cry, then sped toward Doomsday in huge strides.

However, at this point, the Nine-lives Werewolf among the Shadow King's group suddenly leaped out, his eyes fixed upon Merlin's gigantic bulk. His expression shone as he said sinisterly, "Heh heh, not bad, not bad. I've finally encountered an almighty beast who has such powerful strength upon full-shifting. Leave this guy to me then. I've not met such an opponent for a very, very long time…"

The Nine-lives Werewolf's eyes brightened and he appeared very excited.

The Shadow King frowned. Initially, Merlin had been rushing toward Doomsday, which would cause more trouble for Doomsday. Naturally, they were happy to see that but the Nine-lives Werewolf had gotten worked up over the thrill of the hunt and confronted Merlin himself.

"Alright, this person is on the royal family's side after all. Since the Nine-lives Werewolf wants to, let him handle the guy. We'll focus on making the king reveal the whereabouts of the Sacred Lion Beast's head."

The Phantom King said softly. Their target was still the Sacred Lion Beast's head. This was the main factor that had spurred them to come to Holy Dragon City.

"Hehe, come on, come on. I'm too fond of strength-type almighty beasts…"

The Nine-lives Werewolf had shapeshifted too, instantly turning into a colossal black wolf of unparalleled size. It also had a pair of wings, appearing extremely sinister and frightening.

"Bang."

Force met force and the smile on the Nine-lives Werewolf's face was frozen at once. He was an almighty beast of immense formidable strength. It was because of this that the Nine-lives Werewolf was delighted upon seeing Merlin.

However, after an instant of collision, he could no longer smile. That earth-shattering, fearsome power had suffocated him. In just one collision through Merlin's swipe, the Nine-lives Werewolf's chest was ripped through and viciously torn. The Nine-lives Werewolf's almighty beast body was ripped into two.

"The Nine-lives Werewolf had died?"

"He's dead so soon?"

"Haha, Nine-lives Werewolf, you've met your match this time."

Merlin stopped in his tracks. The responses from these ultimate contenders seemed odd. No matter what, the Nine-lives Werewolf was their companion. He had died but there was no trace of sorrow nor any looks of shock.

Therefore, Merlin frowned. At this moment, he sensed something was off. The two halves of the Nine-lives Werewolf on the ground were rapidly fusing. Slowly, the flesh was remolded and another Nine-lives Werewolf appeared.

The Nine-lives Werewolf who had just appeared looked just as he did before. The force on his body had not even changed, only his murderous aura had grown intense.

"Good, very good! For so long I've not met such a meaningful opponent that could make me die once. Still, it'll end now!"

The Nine-lives Werewolf roared and lunged toward Merlin, who could instantly sense the frightening pressure. Now, the Nine-lives Werewolf's strength was much greater than before.

Even so, it was insufficient by far for this bit of strength to threaten Merlin!

"Roar!"

Merlin let out a ferocious snarl. The scary soundwaves caused the Nine-lives Werewolf to shudder until he was dizzy. Thereafter, Merlin gripped his claws into a fist and smashed it ruthlessly into the Nine-lives Werewolf's head.

"Bang."

The Nine-lives Werewolf's fate was the same as the first time. His head exploded under the impact and he died a second time.

This time, everyone in the main foyer fell silent. Everyone was staring at Merlin dreadfully. Someone who could kill the Nine-lives Werewolf twice in a row in a face-to-face attack – a contender like this had not appeared for a long time.

"What terrifying physical attributes and strength. He's more formidable than the Nine-lives Werewolf. Plus, he still hasn't used his Supreme Talent."

"An ultimate contender… It must be another ultimate contender. I've never thought that the royal family is still hiding an ultimate contender like this. He's just right for restraining the Nine-lives Werewolf!"

"This round, the Nine-lives Werewolf is in trouble! He has nine lives and each time he dies, his strength exhibits explosive growth. Who knows how many times he'll die before he can overcome this mysterious contender named Leon."

Doomsday narrowed his eyes slightly. Of course, he could tell that Merlin was different from when he had trapped Merlin. He had grown stronger to the point where even the Nine-lives Werewolf had died twice in a row.

The Nine-lives Werewolf's greatest power was his strength. In a shapeshifted form, without mobilizing one's Supreme Talent, almost no one was a match for the Nine-lives Werewolf.

Of course, an ultimate contender's best asset was their Supreme Talent. The Nine-lives Werewolf had a Supreme Talent too, which was very terrifying. The real reason he was called the Nine-lives Werewolf was that he had nine lives.

His Supreme Talent was having nine lives! If it was just that, the Nine-lives Werewolf could not be called an ultimate contender by far. What was scary about him was that each time he died, the various attributes of his body would increase one time over.

As an example, the Nine-lives Werewolf had now died twice and was resurrected. In that case, his physical attributes were twice improved. He was the strongest in his final form when his physical attributes were enhanced nine times over. This was rather fearsome. No one knew how frightening the Nine-lives Werewolf was when his physique was augmented nine times over because even now, no one had ever forced the Nine-lives Werewolf to such a situation. He had never died more than three times.

This time, the Nine-lives Werewolf knew that he had finally met an opponent who was evenly matched, who could easily kill him twice.

"Buzz."

The Nine-lives Werewolf with his "exploded head" was resurrected once again. His physical attributes were improved twice over, reaching a horrifying level.

"Kill!"

The Nine-lives Werewolf grew berserk. After coming alive, he did not say anything but immediately lunged at Merlin. His vicious force would directly suffocate anyone.

Twice over – the Nine-lives Werewolf's strength was boosted twice over. Even Merlin could detect this massive power. Nonetheless, Merlin was never afraid of strength-type almighty beasts.

"Just the thing I need!"

Merlin breathed in deeply. He did not know how strong he was at this point. In the previous test, no matter how Farron attacked, it was useless. Still, this did not mean that Merlin was invincible. After all, in terms of actual strength, Farron could not compare to the Nine-lives Werewolf physically.

Other than the Nine-lives Werewolf, no one could injure Merlin's almighty beast body. This time, Merlin was also testing his limits.

Merlin roared to the sky and spread his wings, appearing very terrifying. He mobilized his body strength and swung another fist toward the Nine-lives Werewolf.

Likewise, the Nine-lives Werewolf threw a punch, a blow without any tricks. At their level, tricks were no longer of any use.

"Bang."

The ruthless impact of pure power caused a fearsome force to spread out in all directions. One layer of the ground was viciously stripped off, exposing the soil beneath.

Nonetheless, the result was one that shocked everyone once more. The Nine-lives Werewolf had died without any resistance. In terms of strength, he was not of the same league and was killed violently by Merlin at once.

This scene was extremely astounding. As they witnessed the battle between the Nine-lives Werewolf and Merlin, a chill gradually grew in the hearts of these ultimate contenders.