Chapter 1 The Coming Crisis

Everyone present realized a crisis was coming, except for the little Prince Andrew, who, like an ignorant child, had no idea what was happening. He looked at the suddenly silent adults and his two older sisters, and hesitantly asked, "What is the Light of Asumann?"

Upon hearing this question, Hao Ren couldn't help but give the little prince a thumbs up in his heart. What a divine assist! Because he also didn't know what the Light of Asumann was, but he was too embarrassed to ask at this moment…

Rudolf III glanced at his only son with disappointment, while the old scholar Alfred sighed slightly, "Your Highness, you have already learned these things – the Light of Asumann is the brightest beacon in the world of Kolo, located in the Holy Domain…"

The Light of Asumann is not a single beam of light, but refers to a crystal mountain at the peak of the Holy Domain.

The world of Kolo has five fragmented continents. Among them, the Ansu Continent, the Glimmering Continent, and the Land of Eternal Winter are the domains of secular kingdoms. The Canaan Secret Realm is permanently shrouded in dark mist. These four continents are distributed in the four corners of the world, rising and falling in the tides of the Carnos Sea, and constantly pushed by the struggle between chaos and order. The Holy Domain floats in the center of the four continents, like the center of the world of Kolo, overlooking the entire secular domain with its unique geographical advantage.

Unlike the other four continents, the Holy Domain is never invaded by the power of chaos.

Because in the center of the spiraling land of the Holy Domain stands a magnificent and brilliant legacy of the gods: the Crystal Mountain Asumann, also known as the Light of Asumann.

It is said that this holy mountain is crystal clear, made of pure white crystals. Its mountain is steep and towering, almost impossible for mortals to climb. The crystals that form the holy mountain are indestructible, and secular forces cannot shake it in the slightest. The holy mountain stands on the ground, surrounded by three glittering rings of gemstones. The largest city in the Holy Domain, the greatest holy site in the hearts of the followers of the Creation Goddess, the City of Divine Grace, is located within those three gemstone rings. The city is divided into three parts, respectively named the Ring of Mortals, the Path of Sages, and the Side of Divine Will.

The Crystal Mountain Asumann, standing in the center of the earth, continuously releases a gentle and sacred light day and night. It is the source of all the light of order in this world. Its light never goes out, thus permanently isolating the Holy Domain from the power of chaos. Therefore, people also call the Holy Domain the "Final Bastion," meaning that once the tide of chaos is unstoppable and the mortals of the world of order are completely defeated, this continent will become the last refuge for mortals, ensuring that the spark of civilization is not extinguished.

It is a pity that the Holy Domain is the smallest of the five continents. It cannot shelter all the people in this world. Even if this "Final Bastion" is truly indestructible, people do not want to see the day when it has to be used.

"The Order Holy Artifacts used by the various countries on the continents today are actually imitations of the Light of Asumann. Whether it is a small hearth device or a large Tinder Tower, or a national-level Sunscorched Tower, in principle, they are all using secular materials to release the energy field of the Light of Asumann. The demonized minerals collected from around the Crystal Holy Mountain are essential energy cores for large Order Holy Artifacts. These minerals have always been controlled by the Theocracy – they distribute these minerals throughout the world of Kolo according to the situation of each Chaos War, but overall, they are still considered fair and generous."

Hao Ren understood the significance of the Crystal Holy Mountain to the entire world of Kolo. He felt a little sweat on his forehead: "The extinguishing of the Light of Asumann means…"

General Groen snorted, "Hmph, even the Holy Domain, which never falls, has the possibility of being breached. Chaos is no longer just a nightmare for the secular kingdoms. From now on, the people of the Holy Domain will also have to face the tide of chaos on their homeland."

Scholar Alfred was even more to the point: "The end of the world is no longer a fantasy, but a matter of probability – as long as the Holy Domain falls, the end will come in an instant."

Hao Ren blinked: "So the Theocracy's premature withdrawal of troops is because a huge crisis occurred within the Holy Domain. Before the Light of Asumann was extinguished, the Theocracy was probably already on the verge of collapse… What role do the Annihilation Cultists play in this?"

"The Annihilation Cultists and the power of chaos have always advanced and retreated together, and it can even be said that they are one. Their role is not just as accomplices and pawns, but as part of the chaotic tide," Princess Ania said, her face pale. She had already associated it with what happened in Taros. "The actions of the Annihilation Cultists mean the actions of chaos, so the situation on the Western Border indeed has their hand in it…"

Hao Ren took a breath: "A group of heretics actually has this kind of power."

"They are not ordinary heretics," Duke Luen glanced at him. "From the day Locke Marton fell, they have been active on the continent. And because they are sheltered by the power of chaos, when the various countries rise and fall in the Chaos War, the Annihilation Cult has almost never suffered major damage. Therefore, their inheritance even surpasses any kingdom in the secular world. If it weren't for the equally ancient Holy Domain constantly打击 them, those heretics would have already ruled all the land except the Holy Domain."

Hao Ren smacked his lips. Now he was no longer curious why Count Willie, a high-ranking member of the kingdom, was an Annihilation Cultist. It could even be said that among the founding ancestors of Taros, there were probably more than one heretic. Some families may even be completely devoted to Locke Marton from top to bottom. Their faith is far older than any country on the continent itself.

This is a truly amazing heretical situation. It would be difficult to see such a scene anywhere else except in the world of Kolo.

"The secular kingdoms are riddled with Annihilation Cultist infiltrators, but to be honest, they have never taken large-scale actions before, because the Light of Asumann illuminates the darkness, and the Holy Domain, which never falls, maintains a long-term balance with the never-ending chaos. As the pawns of chaos, the Annihilation Cultists did not dare to come out into the open," Rudolf III's face was very gloomy. Sunlight shone through the carved windows onto his robe, casting patches of light and shadow. "But now everything has changed: the Light of Asumann has been extinguished, and the tide of chaos shows no signs of weakening in the year of decline, but is instead intensifying. New monsters and dark forces are appearing in the wilderness. We are experiencing an unprecedented upheaval. The laws of the world, which have never changed for thousands of years, have become less reliable. What Veronica saw in the Western Border is just the beginning of this evil force. I have a feeling that it will erupt more violently, and it will happen very soon."

A border war lost by a southern kingdom on the Ansu Continent a month ago was ultimately linked to the fate of the entire world. It became a harbinger, indicating the approach of a dark future.

"Father," Princess Ania thought for a while and broke the silence, "What happened in the Kingdom of Taros is not an isolated case, is it?"

Rudolf III gave his wise daughter a deep look, but did not speak.

"Taros is just a small kingdom in the corner of the Ansu Continent. Its heir is of great significance to the country, but insignificant to the entire world. I can feel that a huge shadow is looming over the entire world. Under this shadow, the three of us are not particularly special," Ania said, her eyes on Veronica and Andrew respectively, "But the Annihilation Cult is going to great lengths to eliminate us, so there is only one possibility: their target is not just us."

Rudolf III sighed wearily and turned his head slightly: "Umbra, you should speak."

The mysterious woman standing behind the king finally took a half step forward: this was the only movement she had made since the discussion in the secret room began. This mysterious woman, whom Hao Ren guessed to be a secret agent or special operative, did not remove her disguise. She spoke, her voice seemingly distorted by magic, revealing only a hoarse female voice: "In the past half month, two princes of the烽火之国 have successively encountered battlefield accidents, one confirmed dead, the other temporarily missing. The eldest princess encountered an unknown curse and is currently unconscious. The second and third princesses contracted a malignant disease and are currently in critical condition; the only daughter of the Frost Queen of the Land of Eternal Winter encountered an unknown curse and is sleeping soundly. The Ice Dragon Queen has many offspring, among whom six descendants with inheritance qualifications have encountered various 'accidents.' Currently, two are dead, two are missing, and two are in critical condition. The three heirs of the King of the Northern Wind Wizards have also been confirmed to have been assassinated or cursed, but more detailed news has not yet come from the Wizard King's side; there is currently no clear news of attacks on royal descendants on the Glimmering Continent, because the primordial magic of the Carnos Sea hinders the information magic network between the Glimmering Continent and the Ansu Continent, but according to intelligence obtained by secret agents using special means, the imperial capital of the Violet Empire has entered a state of martial law, and there are also signs of major events occurring in the High Ridge Kingdom and the Ten Towers Kingdom."

The mysterious woman named "Umbra" had an exceptional memory, and finished reciting these intelligence reports in one breath without looking at any materials. As she spoke, the expression on Princess Ania's face was also changing rapidly.

Duke Luen tapped the armrest of the chair with his finger: "We can believe that every secular country is under attack. Their target is the descendants of the various royal families."

The secret room fell silent for a moment, and no one spoke again. In Hao Ren's mind, the faces of Count Willie and the black-robed Lamour emerged. Those heretics who had endured since ancient times, those fanatical believers who held an extremely ancient and extremely secret goal, they had waited for ten thousand years, and seemed to have finally waited for this moment. So they suddenly revealed all their cards and began to tear apart the order of the mortal world with lightning speed.

Darkness surged, light retreated, and chaos was completely replacing the order of the world of Kolo. What was happening in the secular countries seemed to be conveying a signal:

Look, the general offensive has begun.