Adelaide's ability to enter this sacred place indicated much. The Pope and the high-ranking Judgment Knights were likely in grave danger.

  The faithful remained oblivious, kneeling before the statue of Father God, continuing their pure prayers.

  "Great Father God…"

  "Send down your grace!"

  Adelaide had no intention of sparing these believers, but he would destroy everything associated with the Church, including the statues of the gods.

  He slowly raised his hand. The believers' faces contorted in agony; their blood seemed to boil, threatening to burst forth.

  "Aaah!"

  "Father God!!"

  The believers cried out in pain.

  At that moment,

  Something incredible happened.

  An incredibly powerful force descended from the heavens; a blinding beam of light shot down from the sun, piercing the sky and striking the cathedral.

  Immense waves of energy spread out, instantly suppressing Adelaide's power to near-uselessness. Adelaide's face showed disbelief.

  A god?!

  A real one?!

  Boom!

  A crushing pressure, as if the heavens themselves were collapsing, bore down. Adelaide instantly collapsed to his knees, his weakened body shattering, blood gushing forth.

  From the descending light, a hazy figure emerged—a man with golden, shoulder-length hair, radiant like the sun, a half-circle of light behind him radiating immense power.

  A handsome man, wielding a war spear, descended from the heavens. Gentle energy washed over the believers, feeling as comforting as a hot spring.

  All pain and illness vanished.

  “…”

  “…”

  “…”

  The believers' eyes widened in disbelief, then tears of joy streamed down their faces, their expressions ecstatic.

  "Father God!!"

  "Father God!!!"

  Their god existed, truly existed. Their faith, once intangible, solidified into unwavering reality. The believers prostrated themselves in fervent worship.

  Adelaide, struggling to hold his body together as it cracked, looked grimly at the god, sensing the power's immensity.

  "How is this…"

  This was a Tier 4 advanced being, from a far more powerful civilization, drawing power from faith. If Adelaide hadn't intended to eradicate Apokolips' Church, he wouldn't have faced this situation.

  Tier 4 was Tier 4. Regardless of his efforts, Adelaide was no match for this being—a true god to him.

  At this moment,

  The god didn't even need to act; Adelaide was already on the verge of collapse. Before him, Adelaide was merely a larger ant.

  "Ant, you have sinned!"

  Golden eyes swirling with solar power—even his gaze felt like it would incinerate Adelaide. The god raised his war spear, pointing it at Adelaide.

  The crushing weight of death descended.

  Was this… a god?

  Despair washed over Adelaide.

  The god had heard the believers' prayers and descended to save his flock, to punish evil, and to condemn the immortals to eternal damnation.

  Things should have unfolded as the believers expected.

  Unfortunately,

  They didn't.

  The god's power overwhelmed Adelaide. At that moment, a crimson streak flashed across the sky; a blood-red spear pierced the heavens, more ferocious than thunder.

  Boom!

  Instantly,

  A deafening roar echoed. The clouds were split in two; the violent force swept away both the believers and Adelaide.

  The power, far surpassing Tier 4, was unstoppable. The god had no time to react before the spear pierced his chest, embedding itself in the cathedral's dome.

  Boom!

  Instantly,

  Cracks spread across the walls. The god's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked down at the blood-red spear piercing his chest.

  Precise time.

  Precise location.

  The causal link was complete, eradicating the Church's faith-based advanced being from its very foundation, meaning the Church's foundation no longer existed.

  "What…"

  Intense pain assaulted Adelaide's nerves. The god's pressure had inflicted severe wounds. He didn't understand the nature of that power, but his immortality and strength were severely suppressed, preventing immediate regeneration.

  He looked up,

  His expression frozen.

  If the descent of the Church's god was unbelievable, then the current scene was even more shocking.

  The god was nailed to the cathedral ceiling!!

  Instantly,

  A chilling dread washed over him, filling the progenitor of immortals with profound fear. The god… was dead?!

  He couldn't comprehend it.

  What power could kill a god who, merely through his presence, had rendered him completely defenseless, like crushing an ant?

  "Father God!!!"

  Seeing Father God's state, the believers collapsed, wailing in grief and despair. Their god had died before them in a tragic manner.

  Unable to bear the reality, some even ended their lives on the spot. The cathedral was filled with the sounds of collapse and mourning; the Church's faith had irrevocably crumbled.

  Before Adelaide could celebrate his survival, an arrow flew in through the doorway, accurately striking his chest.

  Ironically, Adelaide was still unable to move. He looked down, his face turning ashen; the arrow was tipped with Black Death Medicine.

  His already grievous wounds were now further ravaged by the poison. Adelaide's consciousness faltered; his vision blurred.

  Vaguely, he saw a one-armed man approach, dragging him out of the cathedral like a dead dog. Then, he lost consciousness completely.

  【Key coordinate · Established】

  【Upgrade Task 2·Complete】

  【Truth Manifestation Level·Upgraded】

  【Truth Manifestation ·LV3?】

  ——

  【Ability: Truth Manifestation】

  【Level: LV3】

  【Description: All sentient perceptions in this world become the wielder's perceptions. All sentient beings' fantasies, legends, and myths in this world can be temporarily manifested. Duration: one hour. The specific effect cannot exceed the controller's current Grade.】

  ——

  Truth Manifestation's duration increased from thirty minutes to one hour.

  The collapse of the Church's faith and Adelaide's disappearance definitively concluded this era, altering Apokolips' future trajectory.

  Therefore,

  This key coordinate was established.

  Outside the Holy City,

  A girl wearing a teardrop-shaped gem around her neck looked towards the inner city, confusion in her eyes. She turned to the horizon: "That crimson spear…"

  The girl couldn't understand; she couldn't connect this spear with fate.

  ...

  After a while, Mei sensed a fluctuation in the force of fate. If the opponent had hidden well, it would have required more effort.

  However, the opponent had chosen to intertwine its destiny with Mei's causal decisions.

  This revealed a truth to Mei: the deity of fate had chosen someone on Apokolips. This wasn't a coincidence; Apokolips was the center of this universe.

  The nexus of most causal forces.

  The deity of fate choosing to awaken here wasn't surprising. Mei only needed to know this; the opponent would eventually reveal more.

  Furthermore,

  Mei's first phase of the main mission was complete. Her actions were classified by the Space as belonging to the Chaos faction. Chaos, in this context, was the opposite of order.

  In the current era, the Church represented absolute order. Mei had secretly overturned the Church's order, even dealing with the immortals.

  A suitable fit for the Chaos faction.

  However, belonging to the Chaos faction didn't mean destroying order; it meant not strictly adhering to it—essentially, doing as one pleased.

  【Main Mission · Phase One · Complete】

  【Points Acquired: 1,000】

  【Main Mission · Phase Two: This universe contains numerous individuals capable of influencing the world's future. Interacting with them might allow you to reach a higher level. Strive to do so. Time limit: ten years.】

  【Mission Reward: ??? points (Determined by mission completion level.)】

  Leaving other locations aside, Apokolips indeed contained numerous individuals and events connected to significant causal forces. These people and events seemed insignificant; their immediate influence barely extended beyond Apokolips.

  However,

  On a larger scale and over time, these individuals and events would determine Apokolips' future, triggering even greater causal effects.

  This was the butterfly effect.

  Apokolips, as the universe's center, might not show significant butterfly effects in the present, but over thousands or tens of thousands of years, the resulting influence would be undeniable.

  The magnitude of the lever would continuously accumulate over time, ultimately causing an impact that would affect the entire universe.

  The destruction of the Church and Adelaide's disappearance established a key coordinate, demonstrating that the events and individuals on Apokolips could indeed influence the universe's future.

  And not limited to Apokolips itself.

  "Ten years…"

  Plenty of time. Mei had a clear understanding of the individuals and events on Apokolips connected to numerous causal forces; she could easily handle them all at once.

  She could certainly obtain the maximum point reward for a Tier 2 main mission.

  She could use this opportunity to delve into Apokolips' history and establish a second key coordinate. Significantly altering Apokolips' history would undoubtedly create a key coordinate.

  Its impact on the future would be immense.

  "My lord."

  Julius pushed open the study door, respectful but not subservient. His expression was impassive: "Amber Kingdom's army is approaching the Jade Territory. They intend to take advantage of the Church's collapse and unify the land."

  Previously, the Church's influence had provided a check. Now, with the Church gone, ambitious rulers were initiating conflicts to achieve their goal of total dominion.

  No ruler could resist such a temptation.

  Hum—

  Apokolips' history manifested as a book in Mei's hands. The pages turned without a breeze, continuously scrolling through the text until it stopped at the current era's entry.

  According to the records, without interference from higher-level forces, after the Church's destruction, the Amber Kingdom would achieve victory after victory, ultimately defeating all other kingdoms and successfully ruling the land.

  However,

  Mei intended to alter this history, establishing a new key coordinate. The historical record began to subtly change in her hands; Mei closed the book.

  "Julius."

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  "Your command, my lord."

  ...

  When the Amber Kingdom's well-equipped army of tens of thousands besieged the Jade Territory, they saw only one person: Julius, standing dazzlingly in the sunlight.

  Hundreds of fully armed, heavily armored knights stood ready to charge, their battle-hardened aura unmistakable.

  The commanding general gave the order.

  "Attack!"

  "Yes! Charge!"

  Twenty minutes later,

  The field was littered with corpses; rivers of blood flowed.

  Julius, clad in blood-soaked silver armor, single-handedly cut through the Amber Kingdom's army of tens of thousands, shattering their heavily armored cavalry.

  Mountains of corpses and rivers of blood; the ground was scarred with massive, chaotic cuts. Even the majestic mountain peaks several kilometers away had been cleaved in half.

  Heavily armored knights and their mounts were bisected; ordinary soldiers were rendered unconscious before even reacting.

  Holding the head of the Amber Kingdom's general, Julius's gaze swept across the remaining remnants of the army, striking fear into their hearts.

  One man decimating an army of tens of thousands—unthinkable. Previously, Julius had been championed by the Church, hailed as the most likely person to rival Adelaide.

  Now,

  He was a true Tier 3. In this post-Adelaide era, he was nearly invincible on this land.

  "Julius!"

  "I remember him! He's Julius!"

  "The Church's Son of the Sun?"

  "Run!!"

  The remnants of the Amber Kingdom fled in terror. Unless they had witnessed it firsthand, no one would believe a single person could defeat tens of thousands.

  Such a feat existed only in legends and myths, attributed to divine offspring with godly bloodlines—impossible for ordinary mortals.

  But it wasn't over.

  Remembering Mei's orders, their goal was to change this land's history and advance its civilization. Defeating the army was far from enough.

  Three days.

  In just three days,

  Julius, using his power alone, stormed the Amber Kingdom's capital, penetrating the royal palace and beheading the king before the kingdom's court.

  The Amber Kingdom wasn't without powerful individuals, but against a Tier 3 powerhouse, they were helpless. Those who dared to resist met only death.

  Faced with such overwhelming power, the Amber Kingdom's royal family and court could only submit. Julius had accomplished a great feat.

  A one-man conquest!

  Poets, hearing this tale, were enthralled, transforming it into legends and ballads, celebrating Julius's unparalleled bravery.

  "What?"

  "One man conquered a kingdom?!"

  When other kingdoms' rulers and royal families heard this news, they were either disbelieving or bursting into laughter, dismissing it as a falsehood.

  Until Julius breached their city walls, advancing relentlessly toward their royal palaces, severing their heads.

  Just as Adelaide had once swept through the Church, uprooting it.

  ...

  Apokolips, 531 years.

  Within a single year, Julius, alone, conquered thirty-seven kingdoms, eleven of which crumbled into chaos.

  Twenty-six kingdoms submitted.

  Before absolute power, military strength and strategy proved utterly futile. No one could stand against Julius's blade.

  Three years later,

  The twenty-six kingdoms united, with the Jade Territory as their capital, forming the vast Firenze Empire, which then pacified the remaining chaos.

  True unification of the land was achieved.

  Historians wrote: The Son of the Sun, wielding divine power, conquered kingdoms single-handedly, sweeping through nations. Three years later, the Firenze Empire was born.

  Furthermore,

  Historical records also hailed Julius as the Invincible Knight, the Conqueror Knight, the God of War of the Empire, among many other accolades, his legendary status passed down through generations.

  Julius's great deeds subdued the nations, but they were even more curious about the lord he served.

  All knew the Jade Territory was ruled by a sovereign, but this sovereign rarely appeared; even fewer had ever seen her, fueling intense curiosity.

  On the day of the Firenze Empire's founding,

  Representatives from the former kingdoms and the new empire arrived to pay their respects. However, they found the throne room empty; the imperial throne was unoccupied.

  Below the throne,

  Six exceptionally powerful knights stood on either side. Each was a key figure in major causal events, having a significant impact on the present era and the future.

  Twelve Imperial Knights.

  Julius led them, the chief knight, also known as the Empire's First Knight, possessing the greatest power and a status second only to the Empress.

  Because,

  He had single-handedly built the entire empire.

  Compared to the Empress, who rarely appeared, the kingdoms were undoubtedly more fearful of Julius, the unparalleled warrior who had conquered the entire land.

  "Why is the Empress absent from the throne?"

  The former rulers, now nobles of the Firenze Empire, exchanged bewildered glances.

  They had hoped to meet this great Empress.

  The reason was simple.

  Mei had no interest in ruling this land—or perhaps, this land wasn't worthy of her rule. She left these matters to Julius.

  Then,

  Julius went to the study, once again requesting to be relieved of his duties, his expression grave: "Your Majesty, I am incapable of handling the weighty responsibilities of governance. I beg you to choose another worthy minister!"

  "Then choose one yourself."

  Mei was unconcerned: "Don't bother me with matters of state."

  "..."

  Julius couldn't argue. Managing such a vast empire was an immense pressure. He felt the weight of the entire empire on his shoulders.

  Therefore,

  Julius was remembered in history as the King Without a Throne, or the Crowned Knight, while Mei, the true Empress of Firenze, remained nameless.

  The phrase "The throne remains vacant" became synonymous with this mysterious Empress. Furthermore, historical records contained no real portraits or identifying information about her.

  Apokolips, 534 years.

  The Firenze Empire was established.

  Mei altered the original history, replacing the Amber Kingdom and establishing the first empire to unify the lands in Apokolips' history.

  【Key coordinate · Established】

  【Upgrade Task 3·Complete】

  【Truth Manifestation Level·Upgraded】

  【Truth Manifestation ·LV4?】

  ——

  【Ability: Truth Manifestation】

  【Level: LV4】

  【Description: All sentient perceptions in this world become the wielder's perceptions. All sentient beings' fantasies, legends, and myths in this world can be temporarily manifested. Duration: twenty-four hours. The specific effect cannot exceed the controller's current Grade.】

  ——

  The manifestation duration increased from one hour to twenty-four hours.

  ...

  In a secluded part of the empire,

  A group of people stealthily transported a large item to a remote mountain area. The item was considerable in size and covered with a waterproof cloth.

  The carriage struggled along the rough mountain path, rattling and bumping until, after what seemed like an eternity, it finally reached its destination.

  This place was far from any human activity, secluded and difficult for ordinary people to reach. Only wild animals showed any signs of life; it was utterly desolate.

  "You've worked hard."

  A middle-aged man emerged from a cave in the mountainside. His deep eyes shone with an unusual brilliance, resembling a refined scholar.

  With that,

  He led the group and the carriage into the cave, the interior expanding unexpectedly, eventually becoming remarkably bright.

  Orange crystals and unknown gemstones were embedded in the mountain, illuminating the space like the midday sun.

  Another scholar stepped forward.

  "Is the item here?"

  The middle-aged man nodded.

  Then,

  He unloaded the item from the carriage. The moment the white cloth was removed, a shocking sight emerged: the remains of a Church deity!

  A crimson spear pierced the deity's chest, unmoving.

  The person who had secretly transported the deity's remains said, "That spear can't be removed; otherwise, we wouldn't have gone to all this trouble. We nearly got caught several times."

  "This is a god…"

  The middle-aged man reached out, then withdrew his hand just before touching the deity's remains, his face alight with intense fascination and fervor.

  "Once, this was a being that existed only in legends and myths."

  "Now, we can touch it!"

  They craved the power of the gods, willing to pay any price for it. This was their ultimate pursuit.

  It was the sixth year of the Firenze Empire.

  Apokolips, 540 years.

  A weathered old man led a young child back to a wooden hut in the wilderness. A woman was cooking inside; the smell of food filled the air.

  "Vergil, you're back just in time; dinner's ready."

  "Alright."

  "Mother, Father taught me how to ride a horse today!"

  "No wonder you're so dirty."

  Ten years had passed.

  Vergil aged at an alarming rate. While others had blood in their veins, his flowed with Black Death Medicine, drastically shortening his lifespan.

  After the Church's destruction, he had secretly dealt with Adelaide. Death wouldn't suffice; the progenitor of the immortals possessed an incredibly tenacious life force. Vergil could only submerge him in Black Death Medicine to suppress his regeneration.

  Then he continued hunting immortals until he could no longer find any trace of them, retiring to live a peaceful life with a widow.

  The child's name was Gaunt; though not Vergil's biological son, he treated him as his own, passing down his skills and knowledge.

  He knew.

  He didn't have many years left.

  ...

  Over four years, Julius established the vast Firenze Empire, but as he had admitted, he wasn't skilled in governance, especially not an empire of unprecedented size.

  The complexities of the numerous noble factions made administration incredibly challenging. He still remembered Mei's words:

  Change this land's history.

  Advance humanity's progress.

  Mei had no intention of ruling.

  Julius had to work tirelessly.

  Power could achieve dominion, but not wisdom. Governing a nation, improving it, and ensuring its people's well-being, required great wisdom.

  Julius diligently selected talented ministers to aid in governing the Firenze Empire, regardless of their background or gender.

  After enacting a series of reforms, the Firenze Empire rapidly emerged from the darkness, entering a period of rapid development.

  Without the Church's suppression of thought, literature flourished, imbuing the empire with vibrant intellectual life. Literary breakthroughs fueled intellectual advancement, stimulating progress in other fields. The empire thrived.

  By 540 Apokolips, thanks to improvements in agricultural tools and production methods, the Firenze Empire's productivity significantly increased.

  Julius had at least achieved the basics; he ensured more people could eat. The entire nation practically viewed him as the true ruler.

  When this perception reached Julius, a rare look of distress appeared on his usually impassive face. He was a man unmoved by natural disasters, yet this situation caused him considerable worry.

  He could leave governance to his ministers, but he lacked control over people's hearts. If this situation continued, disastrous consequences might arise.

  Intertwined causality allowed Mei to perceive the development of all things; the ālaya-Vij?āna enabled her to see the thoughts of all.

  Of course, Mei was aware of everything.

  "A kingdom without a king, the hearts of men shifting. Over time, someone will likely want you on the throne. What's your gamble, Julius?"

  Mei was unconcerned about the empire's potential dangers, eagerly making a gamble with Julius. Julius knew Mei didn't care about a mere empire.

  But as her subject, Julius had to strive for excellence. Even if Mei was indifferent, he would give his all.

  This was his knightly code.

  "Your Majesty, what future do you see?"

  "Nothing is eternally indestructible."

  "Is my inadequacy causing the empire's crisis?"

  "Do your best."

  Hearing this,

  A shadow fell over Julius's heart. He had a premonition, even if everything was within the Empress's plan, even if it was inevitable.

  But if the empire truly collapsed under his rule, the fault would be his. As a dedicated knight, Julius held himself to impossibly high standards.

  He worried too much about the minutiae.

  As the ten-year deadline approached, Mei's second phase of the main mission was tallied, the ??? on the reward interface fluctuating.

  Finally settling.

  【Main Mission · Phase Two · Complete】

  【Points Acquired: 100,000】

  【Main Mission · Phase Three: The more causal forces you touch, the more intense your influence on the world, and the more your deeds are recounted, the more likely you are to gain favor from certain entities. Strive to become legend. The greater your fame, the higher your chance of favor. Time limit: one hundred years.】

  【Mission Reward: 200,000 points】

  The reward for the second phase of the main mission was 100,000 points. Mei wasn't sure if this was the maximum reward, but the amount was undeniably substantial.

  Regardless,

  The twelve knights of the Firenze Empire were all within her reach.

  Mei contemplated the third phase of the main mission, her expression peculiar. Could the "certain entities" be those feigning death conceptual deities?

  The greater one's fame, the higher the chance of being chosen as a vessel for their revival. This seemed plausible.

  A hundred-year deadline.

  Neither short nor long.

  Even an average Tier 2 Void Wanderer could easily live over a hundred years; otherwise, they wouldn't survive in this mission world.

  Mei found this amusing. Her fame as Empress of Firenze was unprecedented. If a conceptual deity wished to use her as a vessel,

  That would be entertaining.

  Not only her; the twelve knights of the Firenze Empire were also legendary figures, almost certain to attract conceptual deities seeking vessels for their revival.

  Twelve hooks, and whoever bit would die.

  It was a matter of which unfortunate conceptual deity would be chosen.

  Void Wanderers didn't need to fear. If chosen as a vessel, they might gain a complete conceptual upgrade within the mission world, completely reviving the deity and losing their body and mind.

  Alternatively, they could return to Hyperdimensional Space with an incomplete conceptual force, which Hyperdimensional Space would eliminate, completely crushing the deity's chances of revival.

  Impossible.

  In his office, Julius removed his ornate silver armor, changing into simple clothes. Sometimes, he forgot he was even a knight.

  "Taxes could probably be lowered further…"

  He muttered, using a quill to write a decree on a sheepskin scroll, his brow furrowing and relaxing. This was his daily routine.

  Late into the night,

  A handsome young man, smiling, pushed open the office door, holding a cup of wine: "Haha, Julius, I knew you'd be here!"

  Julius looked up, then returned to his work.

  "Gray, I'm busy. What is it?"

  Gray.

  The third of the twelve Imperial Knights, jovial and outgoing, he had the best social skills among them and loved making friends.

  "Work's never done; you need a break. There's a lively party; everyone's waiting for you!"

  Gray thrust the wine cup into Julius's chest; Julius caught it deftly, preventing the wine from spilling onto the decree.

  "I'll finish this first…"

  "Come on, I know an interesting old man; I'll show you something fun!"

  Julius was powerless against Gray, dragged to the feast to celebrate the empire's prosperity. He saw the old man Gray had mentioned.

  Gray called him a fascinating old man; fascinating was an understatement; he was a huge surprise.

  "ROAR!"

  A monstrous dragon, its visage terrifying, roared to the heavens. This creature, supposedly only a legend, now stood before them.

  With one hand, Julius pinned the dragon to the ground. No matter how it struggled, it couldn't escape, only able to submit meekly.

  "This feeling… is it real?"

  "Indeed, Sir Julius."

  The old man waved his hand, and the living dragon dissipated like smoke, yet the scratches and footprints on the ground proved its reality.

  A staff-wielding old man said, "I am a sorcerer. This is a secret technique called 'Incantation of Lore.' It can transform legends into reality."

  "Any legend?"

  Julius realized the immense value of this technique.

  The old man shook his head.

  "Not all legends. It must be a legend connected to one's bloodline or personal history. Of course, a specific item can also materialize a relevant legend."

  With that,

  The old man produced a scale.

  "Legend says this is a dragon scale. Whether or not it truly was a dragon scale is irrelevant; through the power of legend, I can materialize a dragon using this scale."

  In other words,

  If Julius could use this technique, he could materialize his legends—the one-man conquest, the Invincible Knight, the King Without a Throne—into power or weapons, greatly enhancing his strength.

  Considering his immense fame throughout the empire, this technique would receive a significant boost when materializing his legends.

  As a knight, Julius naturally desired greater power, but he prioritized the value of "Incantation of Lore" for the Firenze Empire.

  A profound look crossed Julius's face. Furthermore, Incantation of Lore possessed the power to transform falsehood into reality. Even fabricated achievements, if widely circulated, could become real through this technique.

  With this technique,

  The Firenze Empire would become the greatest nation in history!

  Reaching this conclusion,

  Julius set aside his pride and respectfully asked the old man, "Wise one, might you bestow this technique upon the empire? You may request anything within my power."

  "Haha."

  The old man chuckled, pulling a sheepskin scroll from his satchel and handing it to Julius. "I came to offer this technique to the empire. Keeping it would only lead to its ruin."

  "I am eternally grateful!"

  Julius rejoiced.

  Events unfolded faster than Mei had anticipated. The first fish had been caught; Incantation of Lore, a technique capable of materializing imagination, was extraordinary.

  In the void, causal threads intertwined. Mei traced the origins, firmly locking onto the old man who had given the technique to the empire. The old man remained completely unaware.

  He was essentially an ordinary person possessing the power to materialize fantasies; his origin was this newly ascended concept of illusion.

  Transforming fantasy into reality.

  Truth Manifestation revealed the truth to Mei. The reason the old man had spread the power to materialize fantasies was a necessary step to elevate this ability to the conceptual level.

  If the deity of fantasy were still alive, he might have been more cautious. But he was dead; he couldn't control the conduit's thoughts or actions, let alone guide him.

  Before the old man fully manifested the concept of fantasy, he remained just an ordinary person on Apokolips, not the deity of fantasy.

  He was unaware of becoming a conduit for the deity's revival; nor did he know that a Daemon was observing everything from a higher level.

  Thus,

  He revealed himself.

  It was pointless for Mei to act against the old man now; her target was the deity of fantasy, not this insignificant conduit.

  She patiently waited for the old man to fully elevate his ability to the conceptual level.

  "The second one."

  After fate, fantasy appeared. However, more than two conduits had revealed traces on Apokolips; Mei had already grasped the causal threads of a third.

  She brought the third piece onto the board.

  This one,

  Was the deity of death.

  The Incantation of Lore undoubtedly propelled the Firenze Empire to unprecedented prosperity, leveraging the power of turning fantasy into reality.

  The empire openly created legends; once widely known, the Incantation of Lore transformed the legendary power into reality, used for the nation's construction and development.

  Thus,

  Within just twenty years, the Firenze Empire became a veritable theocracy, resembling the mythical ages of ancient legends, yet even more prosperous.

  Now,

  Firenze had an inexhaustible supply of food; hunger was a thing of the past. Unthinkable structures and wonders sprung from the earth—miracles beyond human capability.

  Towers reaching thousands of meters into the clouds.

  Massive palaces sculpted from monolithic concrete, within which the Empire's twelve knights stood vigilantly, guarding the supreme, vacant imperial throne.

  Rivers and waterfalls cascaded through the sky, forming a network of aerial cities. Ships navigated these waterways, connecting the rivers and seas. Roads were wide and smooth, cities connected like a constellation, carriages rushing along them like a flowing river.

  The empire's citizens wore smiles of happiness; they had created this incredible era and miracle, feeling immense pride.

  This empire possessed the might to strike down the stars; no external force could destroy it.

  What is death?

  The death of a person is death.

  The destruction of a nation is also death.

  The extinction of a civilization.

  When the singing and dancing ceased, when the empire's miracles crumbled, when fiery rebellion ignited, when brothers raised their blades against each other.

  At sunset.

  Julius, wielding a sharp sword, stood on the battlefield, personally beheading Gray. He surveyed the carnage—a field of corpses and rivers of blood.

  "A!!!"

  Tears streamed down his face.

  Julius roared, a heart-wrenching cry.

  Civil war had destroyed the empire.

  The twelve knights had fallen.

  Julius, clad in blood-soaked armor, his blonde hair cascading over his shoulders, approached the throne. His eyes were dim as he repented before the vacant throne for his failures and mistakes.

  The throne remained empty, yet Mei's voice echoed in his ears.

  "You did your best."

  "Mistakes were made. I bear the burden of guilt, Your Majesty. Despite my diligence in governance, I failed to manage the hearts of men, leading the empire to this state. I drove the empire to ruin with my own hands; I beheaded Gray myself. Your Majesty, I am unworthy to live."

  "..."

  "Your Majesty, it was my supreme honor to serve you."

  With those words,

  Julius raised his sword and committed suicide before the throne. He had placed impossibly high demands on himself, taking full responsibility for the failures.