When the plot-skips players into the game world

The roar that was like thunder intensified, and the white smoke in the sky rolled violently... the blood red became more pronounced.

It was as if a few spoonfuls of strawberry jam were mixed into the swirling ice milk. As the stirring continued, the originally pure white sky gradually emitted a pink hue—resembling the color of blood diluted by water.

The frequency of the meteor shower also accelerated, and sheets of dragon scales wrapped in ice and fire fell to the ground, bringing gifts to people... or perhaps disaster.

One of the dragon scales landed right beside Aiwass's foot.

After crossing the border between the Dream Realm and the Material Realm and burning fiercely in the air, it seemed to shrink slightly in size. The dragon scale, crystal clear like white quartz, was about the size of a mask. The back had faint blood-red markings, reminiscent of leaf veins, while the front looked like a transparent piece of ice.

Holding it in the hand brought an unusual chill.

Even though Aiwass's physical body had been enhanced by the Path's power to the Fifth Power Level, he could still feel a penetrating coldness burrowing into his flesh like worms when he held the dragon scale, only countered by the heat in Aiwass's bloodline keeping it from penetrating further.

If an ordinary person were to pick it up, they might be instantly frostbitten or even frozen to death; if they carried it for long enough, in just a few minutes, they might freeze solid.

This was one of the reasons Aiwass said it could turn into a disaster.

When it fell to the ground, it was like a comet—a building not reinforced by Preservation Arts would stand no chance against such an impact. Those structures would be destroyed by it... and if people unwittingly picked it up, they would be harmed or even killed by the residual Divine Power contained within.

Once people realize "what this is," holding the Scale of the Crown Lord would invite calamity.

As long as there was a Fourth Level Magus Craftsman—it didn't even require a Magus Craftsman. With this level of material, even those below the Third Level, who hadn't yet ascended to Magus Craftsmen, could forge Transcendent-level weapons, armor, and accessories using it.

In other words, a First Power Level blacksmith could make equipment from it, at least at purple quality. Comparable to the equipment made by Favna from their own Dragon Bone, or the treasures handed down through generations in the Hawkeye Organization.

—In the past, such things were only equipped by Fifth Power Level Hero units in multiples!

And now, the scales falling like rain numbered in the hundreds, just how many might there be?

At that moment, Aiwass suddenly heard the lamenting cry of a dragon.

Subsequently, the white mist in the night sky rolled fiercely, emitting a red glow.

It was reminiscent of the scene of a sailor being executed—standing on a plank, shot in the heart, then falling into the sea. The sea would be stained with blood... as if bitten and crushed by the monstrous sea, releasing sweet juices.

"That is..."

Aiwass's eyes widened.

He promptly covered his left eye, as though undergoing a vision test. He struggled to look at the sky with his right eye, yet saw only blurred outlines and shadows.

"That's Morgan."

The Lord of Scalefeather replied leisurely, "Arthur still miscalculated."

"...Miscalculated?" Aiwass turned to ask.

"Indeed," the Lord of Scalefeather laughed heartily, "Let me put it this way, Aiwass—if you were an absolute Dictator, a Monarch ruling over all. If you had the ability to solve all affairs, if your Strength was invincible, and if you had a lifespan so long it's nearly infinite... would you distribute your power to others? Would you designate a successor?"

"I would."

Aiwass didn't hesitate: "Otherwise... it would be too lonely. Humans are social creatures; if one is positioned too high, they would feel loneliness. If one could actually solve all affairs, then the subjects should live happily. If so, wouldn't it mean that the one in high position is actually the tireless Contributor, the weary and lonely one?"

"Thus, it's better to increase your peers. Even having one trusted person adds a lot of 'human essence'."

"Haha, I knew you'd answer that way. That's why you lack adaptation to the Path of Authority, Aiwass."

The Lord of Scalefeather laughed, "I'll tell you the correct answer—for a truly qualified Monarch, dividing power is impossible. Especially when this power itself officially starts operating, threatening oneself's absolute control. What's more, Arthur offered not just the power itself... but even the succession rights."

"...You're saying," Aiwass realized what the Lord of Scalefeather implied, "the Heaven Defier?"

This generation's Heaven Defier was named Ranmarock.

He was the Apostle of the Lord of Scalefeather, and a Knight of Arthur's Round Table.

Using the Celestial Marshal Shard from the previous Heaven Defier Antaeus, Ranmarock inherited the Heavenly Department Position with the Silver-Crowned Dragon's help. He transformed his Path of Authority's power into transcendence, becoming a Celestial Marshal of transcendence.

And now it seems...

"Yes, it was my doing."

The Lord of Scalefeather nodded cheerfully, "Not long after this cycle began... perhaps before you met Arthur in the ascension ceremony, I gave him a prophecy.

"I told him—you will be betrayed and die. That was probably his reason for passing Antaeus's Celestial Marshal Shard to Ranmarock."

"...The Crown Lord wanted to preoccupy the position using the loyal and justice-minded Ranmarock, making it so the 'Heaven Defier' wouldn't become an elevation position for traitors?"

Aiwass understood.

Thus, in previous cycles, Ranmarock was always "Soldier Celestial Marshal." Only in this cycle did he become the Heaven Defier.

It turns out the boss was behind it all...

"Exactly. As long as one openly betrays the Lord of Authority, it's considered performing the rite of betrayal—besides, the scale of the Silver-Crowned Dragon is too immense, if assassinated successfully, it can naturally resonate with the Celestial Marshal Shard, thus achieving the Heaven Defier.

"And based on the future visions I saw... the person who does this will be Morgan."

The Lord of Scalefeather said so.

And in the Dream Realm, Morgan slowly drew a bow.

It was a dragon scale bow of bright red, evidently a gift from the Calamity Demon Dragon.

The prior pink arrow had pierced through the White Dragon's right wing. The Silver-Crowned Dragon, biting with the Calamity Demon Dragon, presented a huge flaw, nearly having half a wing torn off.

—It was the 'love' Morgan had stored over hundreds of years.

And as she drew the bow and set the arrow, the second black-purple arrow shot forth, piercing the Silver-Crowned Dragon's left wing.

—It was the 'hate' Morgan had yet to be acknowledged for by the Silver-Crowned Dragon.

Next was the third arrow.

An amber arrow—

Five hundred years of waiting.

Five hundred years of stillness.

Five hundred years of overlooking.

Five hundred years of silence.

—All contained in this arrow.

The Calamity Demon Dragon roared, grabbing Arthur and crashing into the shattered Ice Mountain.

In that instant, the earth shook—the volcanoes in the Material Realm erupted simultaneously!

And Morgan's arrow was released.

The transmission from the Dream Realm was instantly cut off, ended.

In everyone's heart, an idea emerged, vaguely sensing a kind of sorrow.

—The Pillar God befalls.

And unsurprisingly, the Calamity Demon Dragon did not share the Authority with Morgan.

Even more simply than Aiwass had imagined—he didn't need to elevate Morgan first but directly swallowed, fused the Silver-Crowned Dragon... and then took the Seat of the Pillar God.

Its name became "Red Calamity."

The name of the New Path of the Seventh Source River was—war.