- Fantasy Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence
- FLDI Chapter 185
On the ramparts, figures gathered, numbering over a hundred. Among them were the most distinguished heirs from the three great kingdoms. They were either successors or those who had been specially cultivated for prominence.
The majority came from the Tulip Kingdom, nearly half of the crowd.
Next were those from the Kingdom of Purple Flowers, and lastly, the heirs from the Fiery Kingdom.
As Thor stepped into the crowd, he immediately felt several hostile gazes directed at him.
Most of these eyes belonged to the noble heirs of the Tulip Kingdom.
Thor couldn’t help but think back to the menacing gaze he had seen earlier. He glanced at Isabelle beside him, his expression thoughtful. It was clear now what was going on.
These people had probably misunderstood something.
They must think that he already knew about the Divine Ruins and was here to trap them.
But a misunderstanding was just that—a misunderstanding. Thor had no intention of explaining himself.
Conflicts between them, whether based on misunderstandings or not, would inevitably erupt. This was hardly a concern.
“Lord Thor, looks like you have quite a bit of trouble ahead,” Isabelle said with a light laugh, her eyes gleaming as she looked at him.
“Trouble?” Thor chuckled lightly, his tone casual. “I don’t think a group of nobodies can pose any real trouble for me.”
“Oh, Lord Thor, are you saying we’re all nobodies?” A deep voice suddenly interrupted. A burly man walked up, his eyes blazing with anger. It was none other than Secchi Spencer.
“Lord Thor, you’ve gone too far this time,” Secchi Spencer said, his voice filled with displeasure.
“Too far? I don’t think so,” Thor replied, turning to face the two men with a faint smile. “It was you who chose to leave, not me forcing you out. I even kindly cleaned up your mess.”
“What? Do you have an issue with that now?” Thor’s gaze remained steady, not flinching in the slightest. His words weren’t just for Isabelle—they were also meant for Secchi and his companion.
“Well, well, very good!” Secchi Spencer’s eyes flared with rage. “Thor Dresrosa, I’ll remember this.”
“The Dresrosa family isn’t as hungry as you think,” he continued, barely holding his anger in check. But upon glancing at the growing black mist in the distance, he gritted his teeth and restrained himself. Now was not the time to cause trouble.
“Is that so? I always thought our family had quite an appetite,” Thor smiled lightly, his words still casual.
“Lord Thor, you’ve really angered him now,” Isabelle remarked with a hint of amusement. “The Spencer family is quite well-known, even in the Kingdom of Purple Flowers. I’ve heard they have the favor of a certain Sky Knight from the Spencer family.”
“Is that so?” Thor responded casually, not at all impressed. “If that person truly valued him, he wouldn’t be a mere territorial lord. He’d be an heir, just like you, Miss Isabelle. Don’t you think?”
Thor’s smile deepened, his words still relaxed.
Even if it were true that a Sky Knight favored him, what of it? His father was already a Sky Knight, and there was even another Sky Knight in his own territory.
That was the main reason Thor remained calm all along.
Even if he had exhausted the favor of Neil Moton, there was still one more favor left.
As long as he wasn’t stuck on the northern defense line, a single Sky Knight could handle all problems.
“True enough!” Isabelle blinked, then nodded with a smile.
The two stopped discussing this matter, as it seemed like a trivial interlude.
On the other side, Secchi Spencer and his companion’s anger was still simmering.
“Damn it!” Secchi Spencer cursed under his breath. “That bastard is going to pay!”
“Baron Secchi, the road back to your domain isn’t safe,” Water remarked coldly, his eyes gleaming as he shot a venomous look at Thor.
“Indeed!” Secchi Spencer’s eyes widened, and he nodded, a malicious grin forming on his face. “When has Secchi Spencer ever been humiliated like this? A mere baron’s heir dares to mock me?”
Thor, of course, had no idea about their reaction.
What he did know was that most of the heirs of the Tulip Kingdom on the ramparts despised him. Their hostile glares made that more than clear.
But he didn’t care.
For now, he remained focused on discussing the upcoming events with Isabelle.
He had learned much through daily intelligence reports, but compared to the top noble heirs, there was still much he didn’t know.
Isabelle was someone who could answer many of his questions.
As their conversation continued, Isabelle was increasingly astonished.
Though Thor was somewhat unclear on certain things, there were other matters in which he seemed even more knowledgeable than she was.
This piqued her curiosity about him and the Dresrosa family even more.
It was impossible to ignore the fact that Thor’s behavior from the very beginning—almost as though he already knew about the Divine Awakening—along with his self-assurance when facing the powerful nobles of the Tulip Kingdom, made Isabelle intrigued.
After all, Thor didn’t strike her as the type to be arrogant.
Given his behavior, the only possible explanation was that he had absolute confidence.
Yet, even Isabelle didn’t know the source of that confidence.
Even if she were in his shoes, Isabelle didn’t think she could handle everything with certainty—especially considering his noble status.
Noble birth was important, but strength mattered even more.
Thor was strong, with limitless potential, but that was for the future—not the present. Isabelle simply couldn’t understand how Thor could be so confident.
But she didn’t press him for answers. Her curiosity was buried deep inside.
The two continued talking.
Elsewhere, others waited with a mix of unease and anticipation.
As time passed, hours slipped by.
The black mist in the sky continued to spread, growing thicker, until it obscured the very heavens themselves.
“Look!” A noble heir exclaimed, his voice trembling with awe.
With his shout, countless others looked up, and what they saw in the sky left them stunned.
Dark chains, thick as night, spread across the ominous sky, gradually becoming more solid, transforming from illusion into reality.
At the center of these chains, an enormous and ethereal altar appeared in the heavens.
On the altar, faint voices began to echo.
Strange syllables started to rise, slowly filling the air.
At first, no one could understand what was being said.
But gradually, the voices began to resonate with the heavens and the earth, and people began to comprehend the meaning.
“O mighty Anubis, I am your most loyal servant.”
“Your brilliance shines like the sun, and your divine power is as vast as the oceans. I offer the blood of countless lives as a sacrifice to awaken you.”
The words echoed across the sky, and as they did, the souls of the noble heirs on the ramparts seemed to be drawn toward the ground, instinctively wanting to prostrate themselves.
Even Thor felt a sudden pounding in his chest, and his mind began to grow hazy.
“Woo!” A ripple of energy spread out, and a cold aura engulfed the area. Thor could faintly see an ice spirit materialize beside him, the dormant consciousness quickly awakening.
As his mind cleared, Thor’s expression changed. He instinctively looked around, meeting the dazed eyes of several others.
Just as he was about to act…
“Woo!” A larger ripple expanded, and a massive energy shield descended, enveloping everyone within its protective barrier.
The once dormant minds instantly snapped to full awareness.
The moment everyone regained their senses, their faces turned ashen.
Even Isabelle, Joz, and Aisha showed no exception.
“Truly, the power of fear,” Aisha murmured, her gaze fixed on the sky. Her voice was tinged with excitement.
At that moment, others shared the same emotions.
Gods.
Everyone felt both fear and an undeniable longing for their power.
Even though it was only a brief influence, the terrifying presence of the divine had already seeped into their souls.
Such power seemed to possess the ability to accomplish anything.
“It’s beginning.”
Thor paid no heed to the surging emotions of the others. His eyes were fixed on the altar in the distance, which had shifted from illusion to reality. He knew without a doubt—the Divine Awakening had begun.
The force of the laws themselves was being etched into the very fabric of the world. The next step was the god’s descent.
Once the altar fully materialized, the god would return to the continent.
Thor wasn’t sure whether this return would be a true descent or a mere awakening.
But one thing was certain—if the god truly descended, they would all likely die, and even the entire Northern Territory could collapse.
Even with his foresight through the daily intelligence system, Thor couldn’t help but feel a knot of anxiety in his stomach.
Others, too, felt the same.
Though their respective leaders had likely made sure they could handle whatever was coming, there was no guarantee of what might happen next.
No one could predict the outcome.
Everyone held their breath, watching the altar in the sky, their gazes glued to it. No one dared to make a sound.
Even Isabelle, Joz, and Aisha, standing beside Thor, were completely still.
Brian, too, found himself clutching his chest. He hadn’t expected to experience such a moment, and even the battle-hardened veteran couldn’t stop himself from feeling nervous.
Time seemed to stretch on indefinitely.
Everyone’s eyes never left the sky.
They watched in silence as the ominous forces continued to coalesce, an eerie and unsettling sight.
How much time passed, no one could say.
It could have been short, or it could have been long.
Perhaps it was just the tension that made the minutes feel like hours.
Then—
“Whoosh!”
A distinct sound of rushing water echoed, and the next moment, a surreal river appeared, cutting through the ominous sky. It too began to shift from illusion to reality.
“Glug!”
“The River of the Underworld!”
Joz couldn’t help but swallow dryly, his voice trembling with both awe and fear. “This… this god doesn’t want to just send a projection. Is he planning to descend in full?”
“The River of the Underworld…” Thor’s mind raced as he recalled what he knew. The River of the Underworld was one of the five great rivers of the gods’ domain, stretching from the mortal world to the divine. Each river gathered immense, incomprehensible power.
Thor hadn’t expected the god Anubis to manifest a projection of one of these rivers.
As Joz had pointed out, this meant Anubis was very close to fully descending.
Such a projection could only be produced by a god’s full power. No lower-tier deity could summon such an image, let alone a god like Anubis.
The River of the Underworld appeared, and all on the ramparts were struck with awe.
At the center of the illusionary altar stood the Bloodthirsty Wolf Lord, his eyes wild with fanaticism and excitement.
“This is it.”
“Great Anubis.”
“Let your power descend and make the continent tremble beneath your divine might. Let all kneel, let all fear you!”
“You shall be the greatest and most exalted being on this land!”
The Bloodthirsty Wolf Lord’s voice rang through the sky, carrying with it an ever-growing aura of foreboding. The eerie power continued to spread outward, encasing everything around him. Yet, the Bloodthirsty Wolf Lord remained unaffected, his expression still one of ecstasy as he gazed at the River of the Underworld and the rippling power of the divine laws.
With every chant, the dark and ominous energy expanded, reaching farther and farther.
At the center of the chaos, those gathered whispered urgently.
“It’s time to act. If this goes on, Anubis will truly descend.”
“At that point, even if we have someone on our side, we won’t survive the aftermath.”
One of them suddenly spoke up.
“Indeed, but it’s surprising—this projection of the River of the Underworld… maybe the Divine Ruins will even be able to accommodate Earth Knights this time.”
Another person chuckled lightly.
Yet, despite their casual tone, the gazes of those around them grew solemn.
Even as beings of the Holy Domain, they couldn’t afford to take the coming of a nearly fully descending god lightly.
“Swish!”
As the words were spoken, figures vanished in an instant, disappearing into the shadows as they prepared for what was to come.
(End of Chapter)