The Last King Of Darkness

"You might be the reincarnation of a powerful ancient soul, which is the conclusion we are leaning towards. Possibly due to some kind of taboo, your power cannot be revealed, like those unspeakable entities."

Rod felt a chill in his heart. Horus's guess was quite close. The existence of the Dream Realm was indeed as he said, an unspeakable taboo.

But why would the King favor him?

Could he have learned something?

Thinking of many past events, Rod's suspicions grew even stronger.

But he didn't voice his thoughts, planning to observe silently for a while. He felt that the King couldn't directly know about the Dream Realm's existence; perhaps some prophecy or intuition guided his actions.

Horus continued, "And according to legend, the King of Ashes has an exceptional sensitivity to everything related to destruction and ashes. You were almost immediately acknowledged by the Ashen Throne, reminding me of this point."

Curiously, Rod asked, "Then why don't you think I'm the one?"

Horus glanced at him.

"Your black fortune-related abilities are too far removed from those of the King of Ashes, like a stag's antlers do not fit a cow's mouth. It's impossible that you're the King of Ashes; there must be some other reason."

Rod laughed, "Couldn't it just be that I'm extraordinarily gifted?"

Horus looked at him as if seeing an idiot missing a cerebellum, not answering the meaningless question, but instead asked, "How do you feel now? The Ashen Throne has fully established a connection with your soul, human fate is gathering on the throne, comprehensively enhancing your soul, and condensing the 'aura' of the True King for you."

Rod closed his eyes.

"Uh, I feel a bit of warmth in my soul, something in the Void is pulling me."

Horus frowned, but quickly remembered that Rod was a first-year dropout from Jinworth Academy, and patiently taught him the methods of soul introspection and inner exploration.

Rod immediately felt as if he had obtained a treasure, the misty soul in front of him became clear all at once, and his sight could even delve into it. He seemed to be sailing in the dark night of the soul, every single hair visible distinctly.

Soon, he discovered a wondrous mark shining in the depths of the soul. It felt very much like the Ashen Throne, but without that grey desolation, instead filled with the heat of life.

It spread from the depths of the soul, filling the entire soul, giving him a slight warming sensation.

The mist of the soul gradually grew, slowly becoming dense, and above the mark, something like a white mist was gathering.

Apparently, that should be the 'aura' of the True King.

After seeing it, Rod ended the state of soul introspection and reported his findings to Horus without omission.

Horus finally showed a gratified smile.

"Good, very good, you've completely earned the approval of the Ashen Throne. Human fate wasn't wasted. You must know, every additional Ashen Throne opened means less human fate divided, so we would never recklessly open a new Ashen Throne."

"You have not disappointed our expectations. Even though your power is far from reaching the level of a Commander, you are already a true Fire Son, on a path toward becoming a True King."

"According to our research, that clump of white mist is crucial in helping you take a key step, and the sooner it gathers the better."

"Of course, the most important thing is the development of Trolian; otherwise, the insufficient human fate will slow down the support provided by the Ashen Throne."

"The existence of a True King must have gathered the fate of countless humans, which might be the reason for their limited number."

In the continuous voice of instruction, Horus finally led Rod out of the Ashen Hall.

Upon returning to the ground, Rod took a deep breath immediately.

"Ah."

He said in a state of intoxication.

"This sweet air."

Horus stood silently by his side; everyone entering the Botanical Garden for the first time felt the same as he did.

This was a rare relaxation, for everyone's time in the Botanical Garden was limited; they couldn't linger here for long, not even the Life Priests working here.

Moments later, Horus turned into a beam of white light again, taking Rod flying across to the other side of the cliff.

After leaving the Botanical Garden, Rod felt a strong sense of loss in his heart. As the sight of life's scenery became obscured by the grey cliffs, he felt an impulse to fly back.

This impulse was so strong that it made him aware something was amiss.

Rod took a deep breath and pushed it into the depths of his soul with greater willpower.

Horus glanced at him, speaking with a slight tone of praise, "Not bad, young Rod, your will is strong. Many people can't suppress it and end up running back there forcibly."

Surprised, Rod asked, "What is this? Why do I feel uncontrolled?"

Horus said plainly, "This is the super strong Life Power of the Holy White Tree's instinctual attraction to living beings, like a baby longing for its mother, fish yearning for water. It's not mental control, but an instinct; the longer you stay, the greater its influence. Eventually, you could become a simpleton drooling over the big tree."

"Thus, we set a rule that everyone can only stay for three clock hours a day, and no more than fifteen clock hours a week. If it's a combatant who fights in darkness throughout the year, this time is halved."