Devouring Dragon Heir

The kingdom that Riverdale had targeted fell within a single day.

The defenses of the small kingdom were weak, and the speed of the attack had left them with no chance to mount a proper resistance.

The nine pseudo-transcendent led by Necrolord cut through the defenders without pause.

By the time the Riverdale army reached the palace, the walls were already crumbling, and soldiers had dropped their weapons in surrender.

The king of the small kingdom was dragged out from his palace. He was a plump man, dressed in royal clothing that seemed more comical than regal.

His face showed no courage. The Necrolord said nothing, raised his scythe, and beheaded him in one clean strike.

The head rolled onto the blood-stained stones, and with that single act, the invasion was complete. Riverdale had claimed its first victory outside its borders.

The citizens were left alone.

The Riverdale army did not slaughter or pillage. Instead, they moved in with strict discipline, securing the palace, guarding the streets, and making sure no chaos spread.

People whispered in fear but also relief. Compared to what they had expected, the takeover was calm.

Soon banners of Riverdale were raised over the towers, showing the change of rule.

Necrolord and Thunderlord stayed behind with troops to ensure a smooth change in the rule and assignment of a new lord of this territory.

They organized food distribution, guarded supply lines, and ordered construction of barracks and defensive walls.

Thunder Lord and the nine pseudo-transcendents' presence was enough to make sure that no group dared to resist.

The death aura they possessed alone silenced any thought of rebellion.

The news of the swift conquest spread quickly across the continent.

LionheartKingdom, which bordered Riverdale, was now on high alert. Their gates closed, armies were mobilized, and scouts were sent to monitor Riverdale's movements.

Rumors said Lionheartwas preparing for a defensive war.

The Dominican Republic's spies also silently noted the movements; since they were from a different continent, there was no need to panic, at least for now.

The Golden Trade League gave an order to call back all its merchants from the Riverdale kingdom, fearing an imminent destruction of Riverdale by an empire.

They sent their own men to negotiate with the Riverdalequeen and let their people leave since the curfew stopped them from leaving on their own.

In the royal castle of Riverdale, Andrea sat in her chamber holding a letter. The words were simple, but the message was heavy.

The conquest had begun. She sighed deeply, lowering the letter onto the table. Her hand trembled slightly.

The sun shone through the window, lighting her face. Small tears formed in her eyes. She whispered softly to herself.

"It has started, I guess. The messenger has begun annexing territories to unify the continent. I hope I am born as a commoner in my next life."

Meanwhile, far away in the Falcon Empire, blood was spilling in the capital.

The emperor had ordered the extermination of House Albrecht. Soldiers in crimson armor stormed through the estate. A towering man in the same armor cleaved through walls of guards, killing them without hesitation.

His strength was monstrous, and no one could slow him down. He grabbed a young blond noble by the head and slammed him into a wall.

The stone cracked and fell apart from the force. The soldiers who followed him showed no mercy. One by one, they cut down the members of House Albrecht.

The armored commander raised his bloodied sword and spoke in a hoarse voice. "Burn down the Albrecht house. There will be no more House Albrecht on this land." Flames rose as the soldiers set the mansion ablaze.

Within hours, House Albrecht, once a noble family of the empire, no longer existed.

The next morning, the empire was in shock. Panic spread among the aristocracy. Many whispered in private that the emperor had gone mad.

At the morning assembly, the emperor stood tall in his golden robes and declared loudly:

"The Riverdale Kingdom has summoned a powerful demon. This demon killed Duke Albrecht and destroyed his family as well. The Falcon Empire will take revenge. For the Duke, for the honor of the empire, we will crush this Riverdale menace."

The nobles cheered in forced unison, but many looked uneasy.

The emperor's words were dangerous.The prime advisor stood silently beside the throne, his mind racing.

He knew the truth. He knew the emperor had ordered the purge of Albrecht to get the share of the pie he feared would get out of his hands as they let them grow after such a major setbackwhen the duke died.

But what confused him was why the emperor openly declared the Messenger of Riverdale an enemy when he knew the power Klaus held.

The advisor's instincts told him this was not recklessness. The emperor never acted without a plan. He had seen the emperor's schemes before, and each one had ended with his enemies destroyed. What was he planning now?

Back in Riverdale, Klaus sat in his study, reviewing reports. A smile bloomed on his face as he read about the newly expanded territory.

He summoned Necrolord back through the system's link. The dark figure appeared before him, kneeling.

Klaus looked down at him. "The first part of the plan is complete. Thunderlord will remain with you. Together, you will execute the second plan."

"Yes, my lord," Necrolord replied. His voice was cold and steady.

Thunderlord stood beside him, bowing as well. "Your will is absolute, my lord."

Klaus dismissed them with a wave. "Go. Do not fail me."

When they were gone, Klaus leaned back in his chair. His eyes scanned the maps spread across the desk.

One kingdom had fallen. Many more remained. He knew the world was watching. He also knew some hidden forces might be preparing their moves; at this point a realization hit. He needed secret information and a spy agency for himself.

Taking down the enemy with absolute strength was good, but knowing the enemy two steps ahead sounded really thrilling to Klaus.

He could also toy with his enemy. This was after cutting so many people down; he felt the need for some entertainment. Just directly using strength was boring when you could toy with the enemies.

Although he still believed that crushing the enemies with absolute power was the best way, he had recently gotten bored, like he had nothing to do anymore.

His power The next leap in power would either come from the void walker physique or another transcendent becoming his subordinate, but those things had time.

There was no immediate thing to do to appease his boredom; that is why he took a paper and pen and started jotting down his idea about this new organization that will be his eyes and ears.

----------------

In the conquered kingdom, life slowly returned to order. Merchants reopened shops under Riverdale banners.

Farmers worked the fields, guarded by disciplined soldiers. The Necrolord reformed policies and rules, stripping away powers from officials and nobles, making them less influential.

Andrea just did what was told to her and had essentially become a puppet, while the army general Caesar had been given another mission by him.

Thunderlord walked through the palace halls; his dark thunder aura was a reminder for the soldiers of what they had dodged thanks to the messenger.

---------

Spies from other nations soon arrived, pretending to be travelers and merchants. Necrolord already knew of them, but it was just him; the others didn't have his level of skill when reading people.

Although most were captured quietly under his orders, many managed to slip past since the necrolord was not completely invested in just spotting spies. But at least the royal palace for now was spy-free.

in the evening ...

The throne room was silent and empty. The sound of footsteps echoed faintly as Necrolord entered. His skeletal frame, wrapped in a black aura, bent to one knee before Klaus.

"My lord," Necrolord said, his voice like a hollow whisper. "The weekly report has been compiled."

Klaus sat lazily on the throne, resting his chin on one hand. He nodded slowly. "Read them."

Necrolord lifted the parchment he carried and began to speak.

"There has been an influx of spies within the conquered kingdom. They disguise themselves as wandering merchants, scholars, and even common beggars. Many were caught and disposed of quietly, but some still slip through the cracks. They are gathering information about our forces, our command structure, and especially you, my lord."

The hall remained still. Only the sound of Klaus tapping his finger on the throne arm broke the silence.

Necrolord continued. "The Golden Trade League has also sent an official request. They demand permission to take their merchants and caravans out of Riverdale territory. They fear retribution from the Falcon Empire and do not wish to be caught in between."

Klaus smirked. He raised his hand casually.

"Let them go, but also ban them from ever trading in the territory of Riverdale for the next 100 years."

Necrolord bowed his head. "As you command."

Klaus then reached to the side of his throne. A small scroll lay there, sealed in black wax with the mark of the dragon carved onto it. He picked it up and extended it toward Necrolord.

The skeleton stepped forward and received it reverently, his bony hands trembling faintly as he cracked the seal.

The parchment rolled open, and Necrolord's empty sockets scanned the words written by Klaus's own hand.

For a moment there was silence.

Then a deep, echoing laugh erupted from Necrolord. It rattled the hall, a sharp contrast to his usual calm voice.

"Hahahaha! My lord… this… this is brilliant!" His voice grew louder, filled with delight. "To think you would plan such a thing. I will get to complete this immediately!"

Klaus's lips curved into a faint grin. He leaned back against the throne, his eyes half-closed.

"Good. Do not delay. You wanted me to do more than just killing, didn't you? Consider this your chance to play with the enemy before we crush them completely."

Necrolord bowed low, clutching the scroll tightly to his chest. "Your wisdom is unmatched, my lord. I will see this done without fail."