A few seconds earlier.
The mont Niara activated Divine Aura of Life, she instinctively opened the gates of her ntal sea. A huge surge of ntal power flowed out like a raging current.
That martial art, combined with the White Dragon Armor transformation, had seriously boosted its effects. It was like a swordsman who’d been fighting bare-handed and suddenly got handed an insanely sharp sword.
Was this supposed to be just an aura? Darian thought, surprised.
It looked more like a white fla over ten ters tall burning around her.
At the sa ti, all the golden power froze — along with its runes.
"D-Divine Dragon!"
It was the Dragoness Lanalia who spoke, her Bloodline resonating as she recognized the ancient legends of her people.
Among the Elders, about 40% carried Dragon Blood. That was because they sucked at being Summoners — their partners would die quickly for one reason or another — so the percentage of Draconic-Blooded Elders was always higher.
Hearing that, all of them forgot to breathe.
They could clearly feel it now: Niara wasn’t a Mannaz like them anymore — she was like a second coming of the Divine Dragon.
Darian looked at the Elders. Even though the Dragon-Blooded ones were insanely arrogant and extre, most of the traitor Elders weren’t Dragons. In the end, the Dragon King and a select few were the rotten fruit in the basket. The majority... their pride was so strong they’d never agree to sothing like that.
Niara nodded, excited.
The frozen golden runes started to tremble, like they were about to explode at any mont.
The non-Dragon Elders panicked. Those runes were literally the central inscription, the place where all the system’s energies were stored. If they got destroyed, there’d be no way to recover them quickly — the whole galaxy would be in serious danger.
But, contrary to what it looked like, just a few seconds later, a dazzling sky-blue glow started to flow out from those runes.
The runes were linked to each other — and to the heart of the inscription.
That was pure primordial power and pure Divine Dragon Bloodline. Niara had summoned it, using her spiritual root that was connected to the heavenly laws. Only a Primordial Dragon could do that — and since she had that sa Bloodline, it was like calling on sothing that already belonged to her.
Thankfully, this Academy had been set up by the Divine Dragon, not by the Enfield. Quickly, everything stored there began flowing toward her.
"NO!"
A High Elder shouted as he realized what was happening.
Niara snorted.
She waved her hand, and a portion of that power was released, flowing back where it ca from. If she took it all, the galaxy really would’ve been dood — and she wouldn’t have been able to help.
Even with just that small portion, the energy buildup would now be way slower. It wasn’t exactly weaker, since that power just helped accumulate energy — but as long as the Academy didn’t waste energy for no reason, it wouldn’t collapse.
Niara turned toward the Mannaz with Dragon Blood. Lanalia and hundreds of Elders trembled and dropped to their knees without hesitation.
What they felt was a natural suppression. And at the sa ti, a sense of peace and safety like never before. It was like a deity was standing beside them now — there was nothing left to fear.
She turned to the Academy Leader.
"So? Is this a corrupt power from a Risen Lord?"
He clenched his fists, face twisted.
"You bitch... how the hell do you have that?!"
He spat. But there was no fear... no, there was hidden excitent in his eyes.
Without wasting ti, the Academy Leader placed a hand on his chest.
**Buzz!**
The entire Academy trembled.
Niara didn’t react — by Darian’s order. He’d already seen that final card in the Leader’s karma before. It hadn’t revealed the man’s full plans, but it had told Darian to be very careful.
That Leader carried an insanely powerful mark from a Risen Lord in his soul. If he activated it... he could unleash terrifying power.
Darian wasn’t scared, but the whole Academy could get destroyed. If that happened, the people of this galaxy would be dood — all because of him.
It took two seconds; the Leader’s eyes changed, turning completely black. He waved his hand, and his golden emblem pulsed.
A huge flow of black energy poured into the emblem...
Underground.
The black shadow appeared before the Ancestors, laughing cheerfully.
It was the Risen Lord — or a part of his soul and power — now settling into the central inscription like a nasty virus.
Back in the library.
**CRACK!!**
All the golden runes let out a sound, like they’d just shattered.
Sothing black spread out from within them, replacing the gold as if it had been corrupted.
’Shit...’
Darian muttered, a little surprised, feeling a massive karmic connection spread through the entire Academy.
It was like a black chain, coming from sowhere very, very far away, had just connected to the Academy. It was definitely a *Risen Lord*.
He focused ahead and then understood what was happening.
The Risen Lord was taking control and replacing the Primordial Dragon’s power in the inscription. The Academy Leader now had full control over everything.
This inscription, which had once been full of power but which he hadn’t known how to control — and couldn’t really use for offense — was now completely under his command.
"N-no... the Leader..."
"Heavens..."
The Elders nearby saw it all, completely panicked. No one was stupid — now it was clear who the real traitor was and who had been using a Risen Lord’s power.
Niara, in her dark transformation, was radiating a suffocating pressure... but after thinking it over — these were people who had fought Risen before — they could tell it felt a bit different from those enemies’ power.
After she transford into sothing completely opposite, they were sure of it. This had to be so new kind of terrifying "blessing" or sothing similar.
But the Leader? He was definitely a traitor. And not just him — about a hundred Elders among them stood calm and serious, not surprised at all. Now that everything was out in the open, there was no point pretending anymore.
"An arrogant, reckless bastard, for sure..." Niara spat, full of rage. "You opened the gates of our only ho to the enemy... but... your days are numbered! All of you!"
She had never felt so furious in her life.
The Leader smiled. This was a great opportunity that had popped up. It had only worked because the Ancestors had let him use everything — sothing that would’ve been impossible otherwise.
"Hehehe..."
He laughed excitedly.
Niara, furious, waved her hand — a white power as bright as a star burst out to its fullest.
All the darkness in the room shook, getting suppressed.
"!"
The Elders almost cried with joy. It wasn’t over yet!
But...
"What a pointless power..." the Leader spat, surprised. He could feel he couldn’t fully beat her, even using everything. "Well... fuck it."
All the panicked Elders in the library heard that, their hearts pounding.
The Leader waved: "Vanish!"
**Rumble!**
The Academy shook like it was the end of the world.
Niara felt like a hamr had just slamd into her. An unstoppable force crushed down on her.
She quickly moved her hands and hugged her chest, using her body to shield the little slug that had hidden there.
Then...
In seconds, everything disappeared.
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