Boom!

  Thunder rumbled in the darkening sky. A young man stood before a grave; the name on the tombstone was clearly Vergil.

  Vergil had died of old age over twenty years ago, and Gaunt had long since grown up. But thirty years had passed, and while he wasn't yet old, he appeared far too young.

  At forty, he looked no different from a man in his twenties.

  "Father, your idea back then was wrong. Your persistence was meaningless. Human strength ultimately has limits—an insurmountable chasm."

  At that moment,

  A figure approached.

  White hair, blood-red eyes. Undeniably, his unchanged appearance revealed his identity—the progenitor of the immortals.

  Adelaide.

  He asked, "How do you feel?"

  "Better than ever!"

  Gaunt wore an excited smile, feeling the continuous surge of power within him. He was slightly overwhelmed: "The power of the immortal is far greater than I imagined."

  Adelaide corrected him.

  "This is not the power of the immortal; this is the power of the progenitor. Ordinary immortals only have immortal bodies; they cannot inherit my formidable power. You have inherited the power of the immortal progenitor."

  Forty years ago,

  Vergil had submerged Adelaide in Black Death Medicine, sending him into an eternal slumber, then buried him deep in the mountains. Without incident, he would have remained dormant for a considerable time.

  He couldn't be sure if the progenitor's consciousness would break from the agony of endless cycles of life and death, leading to true death.

  He could only bury him as deep as possible.

  And so he remained buried for forty years.

  As he had suspected, Adelaide's willpower wasn't easily broken. After forty years of torment, he was still alive, though trapped.

  Before he died, Vergil confided this secret to Gaunt. He had considered burying his hatred for the immortals along with himself.

  But what if Adelaide gained freedom in the future? The future was unpredictable; anything could happen. After careful consideration, Vergil still told Gaunt about the existence of immortals and Adelaide.

  He hoped that if immortals ever rampaged again, people would at least know how to fight them. Unfortunately, Gaunt lacked Vergil's experience.

  He felt no hatred for the immortals; instead, he greatly craved their power. So, immediately after Vergil's death, he dug up Adelaide.

  Gaunt wanted Adelaide to grant him immortality. Adelaide agreed and not only granted him immortality but also bestowed the power of the immortal progenitor upon Gaunt.

  Now,

  Adelaide was merely an ordinary immortal, possessing an immortal body but none of his former power. His powerful Tier 3 strength had been entirely inherited by Gaunt, who became the new progenitor of the immortals.

  Gaunt could never understand.

  He asked Adelaide, "You're willing to give up such great power? With this power, you were practically a god in this world."

  "A god?"

  Adelaide laughed.

  What kind of god was he? He had met a true god and had even seen that true god impaled by a spear on the roof of a church.

  Thinking of the person who had taken Vergil from him, Adelaide knew this world was far more mysterious than he had imagined.

  He was tired. Now he just wanted to live like an ordinary person.

  He said to Vergil, meaningfully, "Don't think this power is strong. There are countless things in this world beyond your comprehension and imagination."

  "Huh?"

  Gaunt didn't understand Adelaide's meaning. He had heard the Twelve Imperial Knights were powerful, possessing strength comparable to gods, but he had never seen them.

  And he likely never would.

  The Firenze Empire had been destroyed.

  The twelve knights had killed each other; none survived.

  The rivers and waterfalls that hung in the sky fell back to the earth. The immense wonders were almost completely destroyed in the war. The great Firenze Empire had flashed like a comet.

  "In any case, this power has nothing to do with me. Do with it what you will. If possible, I hope you never appear before me again."

  With that,

  Adelaide put on his hood, concealing his white hair, and turned to leave.

  Apokolips, 570.

  The Firenze Empire completely fragmented due to the civil war among the twelve knights, returning to the previous state of coexisting nations. Although the nobles hadn't officially reinstated their royal titles, the Firenze Empire existed only in name. However, its residual influence kept the nations from acting rashly.

  After all,

  The Empress was still here.

  Even if the Empress had never appeared, the might of the Firenze Empire instilled a fear that the nations couldn't shake off. It was hard to say if the Empress would rebuild the empire.

  The land fell into an eerie calm and peace, a sense of impending storm lingering in everyone's hearts. Everyone knew war would come eventually.

  But without the monsters that were the twelve Imperial Knights, the war's destructiveness and scale would likely be limited. Situations involving the destruction of mountains and cities with ease would probably be less frequent.

  The original landmass should have been larger, but a certain coastal region was directly sunk into the ocean during the great battle of the twelve knights.

  Such a claim seemed unbelievable, but those who had visited the battlefield knew that coastal landmass no longer existed.

  Until one day,

  The restless rulers of the nations, cautiously testing the waters, entered the Jade Territory. They wanted to know if the Empress had any future plans.

  Below the throne,

  "Your Majesty, we have come to pay our respects!"

  However,

  No one replied.

  Even when the twelve knights were present, the Empress had not shown herself. Now, receiving a reply was even less likely. The rulers of the nations exchanged glances.

  Then, ambitious smiles gradually appeared.

  They boldly entered the lord's manor, pushing open every door. Empty. Not a single soul was in sight, as if it had always been this way.

  Creak—

  The study door was pushed open.

  Bright sunlight streamed through the window, falling onto the desk, illuminating the tiny dust motes drifting in the air. A book lay on the desk.

  The chair was empty.

  No sign of the Empress.

  The rulers of the nations even began to doubt if a Firenze Empress had ever existed. Perhaps Julius had always been the uncrowned king of the Firenze Empire.

  Seeing this,

  The rulers finally felt completely at ease and quickly launched their armies towards the Jade Territory. The Jade Territory wasn't just a strategic location; in the hearts of the rulers, it was also the symbol of the empire's supreme authority.

  Below the throne,

  The old sorcerer who had once presented the Incantation of Lore to the Firenze Empire gazed at the throne, the symbol of the empire's supreme royal power, his eyes blazing with desire.

  He hesitated for a long time but ultimately dared not act. A palpable pressure lingered in his heart, and he sensed death.

  Reluctantly, he sighed and chose to give up.

  If he could obtain the Firenze Empire's throne and dedicate the Incantation of Lore to it, he could manifest the full power of the Firenze Empire at its zenith.

  ...

  The establishment of the Firenze Empire altered Apokolips' history; similarly, its destruction was a major turning point.

  The land reverted to chaos and conflict.

  Although the Firenze Empire was destroyed, its brief but brilliant civilization left behind many incredible and vital legacies for future generations.

  These legacies would profoundly influence the future course of the world.

  【Key coordinate · Established】

  【Upgrade Task 4·Complete】

  【Truth Manifestation Level·Upgraded】

  【Truth Manifestation ·LV5?】

  ——

  【Ability: Truth Manifestation】

  【Level: LV5】

  【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: thirty days. The specific effect cannot exceed the wielder's current Grade.】

  ——

  Given this rate of progression, Mei had reason to believe that by the time Truth Manifestation reached LV10 or LV11, she would be able to manifest anything permanently.

  Returning to the matter at hand,

  That old sorcerer's audacity was truly remarkable. The remaining prestige of the Firenze Empire still lingered; the kings knew how powerful the empire had been at its peak.

  Not one dared to covet the Firenze throne.

  Unlike ordinary objects, the Firenze throne bore the kingship and supreme power of the entire empire. In a sense, it was the Firenze Empire itself.

  It converged the protective power of the twelve knights, and led to the knights' spirits and power safeguarding the throne. No one was worthy of defiling it.

  Much less sitting on it.

  A gentle breeze stirred,

  Carrying the singing of a traveling bard.

  A bard sat on a carriage, plucking an instrument, singing to his fellow travelers of the empire's past glory and history. The travelers were immersed in the empire's bygone splendor.

  "In days of old, rivers and waterfalls hung in the sky, ships traversed the heavens, reaching rivers and lakes. Grand palaces and statues pierced the clouds. People could dance with the birds. The twelve knights' radiance shone upon the empire, though the throne remained vacant..."

  On a hillside,

  A sharp sword was plunged into the bedrock, a blood-stained silver helmet resting on the hilt. An unnamed grave buried the empire's most dazzling hero.

  Mei listened to the bard's song, her smile gentle, carried away by the wind.

  After its destruction, the Firenze Empire had truly become a legend. People could only learn of its former glory through historical records and oral tales.

  As time passed, the Empress's reputation gradually faded, yet, enriched by history and the passage of time, her legend became more mystical.

  The royalty and nobles of the nations frantically searched for remnants of the Firenze Empire. The Incantation of Lore was passed down; they needed the legendary artifacts left by the Firenze Empire to gain power.

  The weapons of the twelve knights, in particular, were regarded as sacred relics. Among these relics, the Firenze throne undoubtedly possessed the highest level of mystery and legend.

  However, no one dared touch it. It remained in the Jade Territory, gathering dust, as no one wanted to risk what it might manifest. If it summoned the twelve knights…

  That would be a major headache.

  Perhaps the Firenze Empire might even return to its former glory.

  The higher the legend, the more likely it was to be found by certain entities. Mei was confident this was the case. The "certain entities" were the vessels for the conceptual deities' recovery.

  Except for a few exceptions, under most circumstances, as soon as someone became a vessel for a conceptual deity's recovery, Mei could quickly locate them.

  Unless it was a vessel for a truly higher-level conceptual deity.

  Like fate.

  Or perhaps, nothingness.

  To be honest, nothingness was truly hard to find. Even fate had been caught by Mei's tail, but nothingness remained elusive; it was unknown whether this concept had found a vessel for recovery.

  Today,

  As the third phase of the main mission had mentioned, Mei met a certain being—the old sorcerer.

  At this moment,

  Due to the Incantation of Lore directly fostering the Firenze Empire's prosperity, a certain type of fantasy ability, having met certain conditions, began ascending towards conceptual-level power.

  The old sorcerer's power was considerable.

  The moment he saw Mei, the old sorcerer's eyes widened in shock. He couldn't see through Mei; her mystery was beyond his comprehension.

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  The old man immediately stared at Mei.

  "Miss, you must have been a famous hero of legend!"

  The ascension condition for the fantasy concept was simple: based on legends. The more the Incantation of Lore relied on and was propagated by legends, the faster the old man's fantasy ability would ascend.

  Until it manifested as a concept.

  "Oh?"

  Mei played along with the old man, smiling playfully, "I thought no one could see through my identity?"

  "Forgive my bluntness, but you are as dazzling as the sun in the sky."

  The old man didn't know who Mei was; he only needed to know Mei's mystery was incredibly high—perhaps someone from the mythical age? Even better.

  The subsequent events were nearly identical to the first meeting between Julius and the old sorcerer. After some small talk, the old sorcerer couldn't wait to show off the Incantation of Lore.

  Mei played her role perfectly, feigning great astonishment.

  "Is this the legendary Incantation of Lore of the Firenze Empire?"

  "Indeed!"

  The old man rejoiced internally. He knew everyone desired this secret art. Simply displaying it would reel anyone in. Mei's reaction didn't disappoint him.

  Mei immediately inquired, "Wise one, might you teach me this art? In exchange, I can offer you something of equal value."

  "Haha."

  The old man unhesitatingly pulled a sheepskin scroll from his pouch and handed it to Mei, taking his leave with a flourish. "This art would only languish with me. I believe you can make it flourish even more, just as the Firenze Empire did in the past."

  "Thank you, wise one!"

  Mei accepted the sheepskin scroll, which she later reduced to ashes with a torch. She already knew the Incantation of Lore, but since she wasn't a vessel, the art held little significance for her.

  In anyone else's hands, this art would never ascend to a true concept.

  In a blink,

  Time had reached the year 640 on Apokolips.

  The hundred-year countdown for Main Mission phase three was complete.

  【Main Mission · Phase Three · Complete】

  【Points Acquired: 20,000】

  【Main Mission · Phase Four: If your strength is sufficient, please contact higher civilizations and lifeforms as soon as possible. The mysteries of this universe far exceed your imagination.】

  【Mission Reward: 30,000 points】

  Mei understood.

  "It seems the previous encounter didn't count."

  She was referring to the Father God she had sealed with one strike. Or perhaps, merely touching a higher-level lifeform wasn't enough to meet the mission criteria.

  The main mission had progressed to phase four so quickly. Phase four held no difficulty for Mei, but she decided to slow down temporarily.

  The main mission was progressing too quickly, but the upgrade tasks weren't all completed, and she hadn't entered the realm of All Concepts. She would hold back the main mission progress for now.

  ...

  Time flew.

  A thousand years, yet to Mei, it was but a fleeting moment. This was the longest she had ever lingered in a mission world, yet a millennium felt like a blink.

  Mei's Willpower Vessel still hadn't fully manifested.

  The history of the Firenze Empire, weathered by time, was now merely text on scrolls, submerged in the relentless currents of time.

  The legends of the Firenze sovereign and the twelve knights became household tales, imbuing them both with immense mystique.

  They were almost mythical.

  The once-glorious empire had crumbled to ruins, its precious artifacts and ancient texts displayed in museums only after archaeological excavation.

  Fate and causality silently contended, death and fantasy weaving through history and legends.

  The ultimate truths of existence revealed all.

  Mei observed everything.

  Apokolips, 1680.

  The era progressed, and with it, culture and technology. After a thousand years of accumulation and bursts of innovation, the world's culture flourished like never before.

  Gunpowder and muskets were invented. Improved shipbuilding and navigation techniques ushered in the Age of Discovery. Global maritime trade boomed.

  A flourishing economy and culture endowed the nations with immense power. Among the world's great powers, the United Kingdom of Westland was the undisputed hegemon of the era.

  It possessed the most powerful naval fleet, dominated the largest maritime trade market, and boasted the world's most advanced ideas and technologies.

  A true world hegemon.

  United Kingdom of Westland, capital city, Burlington.

  Burlington was one of the largest cities of its time, with a population of over 700,000. It was a crucial center for industrial development, intellectual innovation, and economic trade.

  Burlington Royal College.

  Ancient history of the Firenze Empire course.

  The tiered lecture hall, with over a hundred seats, was filled with students. A young femlae scholar stood at the podium, teaching the history of the Firenze Empire.

  When discussing the history of the Firenze Empire, Julius was undoubtedly a crucial figure. He was central to the empire's rise and fall, an unavoidable presence.

  "Julius was honored as the Son of the Sun, the chief among the twelve knights. Legend claims he possessed the power to conquer a nation single-handedly. Of course, these legends lack verifiable evidence to this day."

  "According to historical records, the history of the Firenze Empire is filled with mythical elements, distinguishing it from other historical periods. We can only attribute this to the Firenze Empire's unique method of recording history; they favored a mythological style."

  Then,

  The scholar continued the topic: "Julius was a very complex individual. According to our research, he originated from the Church, a high-ranking Judgment Knight, but later defected and pledged allegiance to the Jade Empress, the future sovereign of the Firenze Empire."

  "Professor!"

  A student raised his hand.

  "Yes, please speak."

  "Why did Julius betray the Church?"

  "That remains unknown. We've scoured historical texts and found no relevant records. The period between his betrayal of the Church and his service to the Jade Empress is a historical void."

  After explaining,

  The scholar continued, "Julius betrayed the Church, yet he was exceptionally loyal to the Jade Empress. He single-handedly established the Firenze Empire, managed state affairs, and, in just twenty years, brought the empire to its peak. He was like a brother to the other eleven imperial knights, yet ultimately, he beheaded them with his own hands."

  "In his final years, perhaps overcome with guilt for failing to govern the empire, he chose to commit suicide before the Firenze throne, ending his glorious life."

  "Professor, were the twelve knights real?"

  "Undoubtedly."

  The scholar nodded, hanging a drawing depicting the twelve knights at a banquet. An ancient artist had captured this scene.

  "Although the records of the Firenze Empire and the twelve knights are full of mythological elements, we have indeed unearthed many artifacts from the Firenze Empire's ruins. This is enough to prove that a thousand years ago, the Firenze civilization and the twelve knights truly existed in history."

  Burlington College's museum branch housed numerous artifacts from the Firenze Empire period, including Julius's sword.

  Cultural development spurred the rise of archaeology, leading to the excavation of many ancient artifacts. It was the discovery of these numerous Firenze Empire artifacts that validated this period of history.

  Otherwise, it would have remained mere legend.

  After all,

  The historical records of the Firenze Empire period were too exaggerated—one man conquering a nation, ships sailing in rivers suspended in the sky, leading to the sea.

  This was clearly myth.

  Over a thousand years had passed. Supernatural power seemed to have vanished completely. Humanity, relying on knowledge and technology, now regarded supernatural power as ancient fantasy.

  At least,

  They currently lacked sufficient evidence to prove the existence of supernatural power. This was an era almost entirely devoid of the supernatural and the mystical.

  Only legends remained.

  Clang!

  Soon,

  A loud bell rang from outside the lecture hall. An old man, holding a small hammer, stood under a large tree, striking a large iron bell suspended in mid-air.

  "Well then, this class is now dismissed."

  "Thank you, professor!"

  Mei nodded and smiled, collecting her teaching materials. She took down the wall drawing, tucked it under her arm, and left the classroom. At that moment, a well-dressed young man rushed out after her.

  "Miss!"

  Mei paused, turning to face the young man. He caught up, pulling a finely engraved golden medal from his pocket.

  "Miss, I am Rosinante from the Burlington Security Bureau. If possible, I hope you can spare some time. I have a few questions to ask you."

  "Certainly."

  Mei didn't refuse. The Security Bureau was responsible for public safety, and catching thieves and criminals was their duty. However, it was clear that Rosinante hadn't come for such a matter.

  "I have another lecture elsewhere. Let's talk on the way."

  "No problem."

  Mei was now a scholar specializing in the history of the Firenze Empire. In this field, she was the absolute authority, quite renowned.

  Rosinante took out a notebook and a piece of charcoal for a pen. He walked beside Mei, explaining the problem.

  "Miss, there is no one who understands the history of the Firenze Empire better than you. Although you explained it clearly in class, I still want to ask you one thing: do you truly believe that the historical records of the Firenze Empire were mythological in nature?"

  From Mei's personal perspective, she naturally knew that these so-called mythologized records were actually completely true. Without exaggeration, it was almost a second age of mythology.

  However, from the present-day academic standpoint, there was currently insufficient evidence to prove it was truly such a fantastical empire.

  Mei replied, "Personally, I maintain a reserved attitude towards this. I only believe in evidence. If archaeologists make significant related discoveries, wouldn't that be quite a romantic affair?"

  Clip-clop!

  A carriage rattled past, splashing up a puddle of mud.

  The road, freshly wet from the rain, was particularly muddy. Even though this was the capital of the Westland Kingdom, the state of the road still provoked disgust.

  People also constantly liked to carelessly toss garbage, and butchers casually dumped the dirty water from cleaning entrails by the roadside, the stench permeating the air.

  Rosinante was clearly also utterly disgusted by this situation, couldn't help but cover his nose, and only with great effort managed to bring his attention back to the topic.

  "If there were evidence proving it was such a fantastical era, I would actually be very eager to see it. That would certainly be a considerably exciting discovery."

  Mei nodded in agreement.

  "It seems you have a romantic streak."

  "No."

  Rosinante clarified, "I am an absolute atheist. I don't believe the Firenze Empire was as unbelievable as the historical records claim. I am merely trying to refute myself."

  Mei understood.

  "Understood."

  People tended to self-deceive, preferring to believe theories and stances they agreed with. This led to arrogance and blindness.

  Therefore,

  Instead of convincing oneself, it was better to attempt to refute oneself, leading to a more objective attitude and outcome. Rosinante didn't believe the historical records of the Firenze Empire, thus he sought to verify the information.

  Not until Mei moved to the next classroom did Rosinante cease his questioning. He put away his laptop and politely asked, "Miss, I expect I'll be frequently seeking your guidance on some matters. This is for my work."

  "Of course."

  "Thank you for your time."

  Afterward,

  Rosinante walked back along the muddy road to the Security Bureau, heading into an office near the inner section. There weren't many people inside, only two or three.

  Evidently, they were different from those outside responsible for security duties. They handled more crucial matters: assisting the esteemed lord in the search for mystical powers and supernatural beings.

  It sounded rather unreliable.

  Not that this department was necessarily essential; it was merely that the lord, enjoying his life of luxury, sought to extend his lifespan.

  For this reason, Rosinante and a few others had been transferred by the director from security duties to handle this related work, leaving people speechless.

  "How was it? Any findings?"

  Facing his colleague's inquiry,

  Rosinante replied as a matter of course, "None, obviously. Or perhaps there's nothing to find at all. This world is so mundane it's boring. Only fools believe in those myths and ancient legends."

  "Hahahaha!"

  His colleague laughed, "Don't let the director or the lord hear that. I heard the mayor and some other important figures are quite interested in this."

  "That's why I only dare say it here."

  Rosinante and his colleagues' work was actually quite tedious: constantly searching through ancient documents for clues, then consulting relevant experts and scholars.

  Or perhaps visiting archaeologists or even going to excavation sites. In any case, despite their strenuous efforts, they had found nothing so far.

  Rosinante felt they were wasting their time, but as long as the lord was happy, it was fine. At least it was safer than security patrols, and life as a bureaucrat was more comfortable.

  But one day,

  Knock, knock, knock!

  A messenger knocked on the office door.

  "Is Mr. Rosinante here?"

  "That's me."

  "You have a package."

  "Me?"

  Rosinante was surprised. He accepted the package in a daze. Opening it, he found a yellowed, ancient sheepskin scroll—an artifact from a bygone era.

  "This is…"

  His colleague rushed over the moment he saw the sheepskin scroll. Their investigations often involved ancient artifacts; they recognized immediately that this parchment was no ordinary item.

  "This is writing from the Firenze Empire era!"

  Rosinante frowned, wondering who would send him such a valuable ancient sheepskin scroll. He thought it over but couldn't find any clues.

  He asked, "Can any of you help me translate the contents?"

  Upon hearing this,

  His colleagues rolled their eyes.

  "Are you kidding?"

  "You need to find a scholar specializing in Firenze-era writing."

  Having nothing else to do, Rosinante took the parchment, intending to kill some time. The scholar specializing in Firenze culture was, of course, Mei.

  After class,

  Mei carefully studied the writing on the parchment, saying something that left Rosinante utterly astonished: "This looks like an incantation. It's likely some kind of magical item."

  "Magic?"

  Rosinante didn't take it too seriously. Ruins were full of excavated incantations and magic, all of which were hoaxes that only fools believed.

  But he was somewhat interested in the content of the incantation.

  "Could you please translate it for me?"

  "Wait."

  Soon,

  Mei translated the incantation on the parchment, and even provided all the accompanying annotations to Rosinante.

  "Incantation of Lore?"

  "Indeed."

  Mei explained, "According to the historical records of the Firenze Empire, this was a miraculous secret art capable of turning legends into reality. It is what created the glory of the Firenze Empire, transforming it into a divine nation on Earth."

  Rosinante didn't take this seriously. He took the translation and examined it carefully, then asked, "Have similar parchments with this content been excavated before?"

  "To my knowledge, never."

  "Alright, thank you. I'll take this back and study it."

  Rosinante said this and hurried back to the Security Bureau. He looked at the parchment and the translation of the Incantation of Lore in his hand, feeling a sudden urge to laugh.

  His colleague was curious.

  "What is it?"

  Rosinante immediately chuckled, "According to the professional analysis, what I hold in my hand is something akin to a magical item. It created the entire glory of the Firenze Empire, making it the second age of mythology."

  "Hahahahaha!"

  Immediately,

  Laughter filled the office.

  Not until late into the night,

  Rosinante couldn't sleep, no matter how hard he tried. His gaze inadvertently fell upon the parchment beside him. In his boredom, an idea struck him.

  "Since I can't sleep anyway, might as well kill some time."

  ...

  There were three types of targets for the Incantation of Lore. One was the legendary figure themselves, who could use the spell to manifest their own legend as a characteristic, ability, or item.

  The second type was the descendants of legendary figures. Through hereditary bloodlines, descendants had a chance to manifest part of their ancestors' power.

  The third type was legendary items, which could gain their legendary power through this spell.

  Most importantly,

  This spell could be cast simply by knowing the incantation, without strict limitations, meaning even ordinary people could easily perform it.

  "Let's give it a try."

  Rosinante turned, raised his right hand as instructed by the parchment, and began chanting the Incantation of Lore.

  There were certainly no legendary objects nearby. He could only cast the spell on himself, hoping perhaps his ancestor was a legendary figure.

  "Stars filling the sky, illuminate the secrets of this world..."

  In reality,

  Chanting aloud wasn't necessary; silent recitation worked just as well. Julius and the others were incredibly proficient with this secret art, able to complete the silent recitation at lightning speed within seconds.

  Thirty seconds later,

  Rosinante's heart began to race. As the incantation ended, the night fell silent. For a long time, there was no reaction whatsoever.

  "..."

  Rosinante couldn't help but chuckle at his own foolishness. He was truly an idiot for believing such impractical nonsense.

  "Sleep on it." Obviously, this was a failed casting. Even if he had cast the Incantation of Lore towards the parchment, it would have been better than casting it upon himself. At least, this proved that his ancestor was no legendary figure.

  Rosinante was fine, but others definitely were not.

  "Damn it!"

  On a simple wooden bed, a young man's eyes snapped open; he startled awake, his expression grave: "Someone is casting the Incantation of Lore!"

  His outcry immediately startled others awake, and upon hearing him, they were all shocked.

  "Is this spell still circulating outside?"

  "Perhaps it was just unearthed from a ruin?"

  His companions asked the young man.

  "Samuel, who is casting this spell?"

  Samuel hastily prepared to depart for the United Kingdom of Westland, extremely anxious: "A young man in Burlington. I'm heading there immediately to handle it. Be prepared for the worst and stand ready to assist me!"

  "Understood!"

  During the era of the Firenze Empire, besides the twelve knights, there were many court sorcerers who possessed the Incantation of Lore, for the purpose of building the Firenze Empire.

  After the empire's destruction, these individuals naturally scattered to various places. Furthermore, a certain old man had always been disseminating this secret art, ensuring the inheritance of the Incantation of Lore was never broken.

  However,

  As time passed, some inheritors of this spell realized its immense harm to the world and thus decided to conceal it.

  Secretly excavating the secrets of this world, having undergone a life of arduous training almost isolated from the world, Samuel and his group were such people.

  This organization called itself the Hermitage Society.

  They knew clearly that the consequences of abusing the Incantation of Lore were extremely severe; the current human civilization simply had no way to resist the power of legends and myths.

  If not careful, it could extinguish human civilization.

  Therefore.

  The use of this spell absolutely had to be strictly limited. The Hermitage Society considered this a historical responsibility they bore, a group of ascetics with very high self-awareness.

  "I hope the situation doesn't develop into something too disastrous before I get there!"

  Boom!

  A deafening roar exploded. Samuel easily broke the sound barrier, flying towards the city of Burlington in the United Kingdom of Westland.

  Like a spear piercing the dark night.

  Early morning.

  The sky had just begun to brighten; a slight chill from last night still lingered in the air. Rosinante walked frowningly along the dilapidated road leading to the Security Bureau.

  On the road.

  He inadvertently passed by the museum belonging to the Burlington National College. He then stepped back, stood at the museum entrance, thought for a moment, and went inside.

  Because it was still early morning, there was no one in the museum at this time, except for an old man looking after the place. He looked around; a large number of artifacts and documents from the Firenze Empire period were displayed.

  Rosinante looked around. There were swords, armor, carriages, and flags from the Firenze Empire period, as well as paintings of knights by court artists.

  However, few items could truly be called legendary.

  Until he stopped before a display case containing a pale skeleton. Although his face couldn't be seen, the skeleton was remarkably tall.

  A brief description card stood in front of the case.

  Camelo.

  One of the twelve knights of the Firenze Empire, renowned for his exceptional swordsmanship, said to be no less skillful than Julius.

  A loyal and valiant knight, historical records state that during the civil war of the twelve knights, he assisted Julius in quelling the chaos.

  He ultimately died beneath the arrow of the eleventh knight.

  His remains were discovered in a small town within the United Kingdom of Westland. Scholars speculate that Julius personally buried him and erected a tombstone.

  "Camelo…"

  Guided by a strange impulse, Rosinante raised his right hand towards the skeleton in the display case, opening his palm, and tried casting the spell again with a skeptical mindset.

  Regardless, this was undoubtedly a legendary object.

  "Stars filling the sky, illuminate the secrets of this world…"

  Rosinante's soft chanting echoed in the quiet museum. The old man watching the place approached, surprised, and puzzled by Rosinante's actions.

  "Mr. Rosinante, what are you doing...?"

  This time,

  Things were different.

  As Rosinante completed the incantation, an inexplicable aura permeated the museum. Even unable to sense mystical power, Rosinante and the old man felt a distinct sense of palpitation.

  After a moment,

  Bang!

  Just as terror gripped Rosinante, the entire display case exploded. A whirlwind surged towards the pale skeleton, and crimson flesh and blood visibly covered the bones.

  "Mr. Rosinante, what... what have you done?!!"

  The old man was terrified, witnessing such an extraordinary sight for the first time in his life. Rosinante was even more petrified; this secret art was real?!

  "I…"

  He was dumbfounded, unable to speak.

  Within the whirlwind, black hair grew from the flesh and blood, cascading over a man's head. Skin covered the flesh, and the translucent azure color of the sky appeared in his eyes.

  Then,

  The whirlwind subsided, becoming a suit of silver armor that enveloped the man. Soon, all movement ceased; silence returned to the museum.

  Only, one more person was there.

  Camelo.

  The Fifth Knight of the Firenze Empire, manifested.

  "Gulp."

  Rosinante subconsciously swallowed, his face pale, his body trembling. He had caused trouble—big trouble!