Sovereign of the Forgotten Era

Azrael was heading straight towards Rune City to meet the king. But unlike other protagonists in typical novels, he had no interest in playing the role of a weakling.

"I never understood why, back when I was still on Earth, characters in stories would hide their strength and pretend to be weak. It's dull, predictable, and frankly, ridiculous."

Azrael was strong, and he saw no reason to conceal it. If he was powerful, he would act like it. There was no need for deception or pointless schemes. With his aura fully unleashed, he made sure that no arrogant young master or other people would dare approach him. His presence alone deterred anyone who might have foolish thoughts of challenging him.

People across the land looked up at the sky and saw a golden streak blazing toward the capital of their country. The energy radiating from it was suffocating.

Some individuals, especially those who had reached the level of a 3 Star or 4 Star Master, felt an overwhelming fear grip their hearts. Many of them even lost control of their bodies, their legs trembling, and some… well, some outright soiled themselves. The air soon carried an unpleasant stench as panic spread.

However, a few remained composed. These were the true warriors—the royal guards of the kingdom. Even though they were afraid, their duty came first. Without wasting a moment, they reported this golden streak to their superiors.

Inside the Throne Room

In the grand hall of Rune City's palace, the king sat on his throne, engaged in discussions with his ministers. Several beautiful women clung to him, their soft, perky chests pressing against his well-built arms. It was clear he was enjoying both the conversation and their company.

The ministers were discussing various affairs, including future plans for the kingdom.

One of the ministers suddenly stood up and presented his report.

"Your Majesty, the neighboring kingdom of Asteria is preparing to wage war against us. Nearly 30% of their forces have already been stationed at our eastern border, and we estimate that they will launch their attack within a week."

Hearing this, the king remained unfazed. He was confident in his own strength and that of his forces. As a Rank 6 Star Master, he had no reason to worry about a war. However, his ministers did not share his confidence.

For them, this war was a direct threat. Unlike the royal family, which could afford to hire and train new soldiers as needed, the ministers had their own descendants—children and grandchildren—serving in the army. If a war broke out, many of them would die. This reality weighed heavily on their hearts.

As discussions grew more intense, the throne room's massive doors suddenly burst open.

A soldier rushed inside and immediately kneeled before the king.

The king's expression darkened. "How dare you barge into my throne room without permission?"

The soldier trembled but forced himself to speak. "Y-Your Majesty, please forgive me! But I bring urgent news. A powerful aura—a golden streak—is heading straight for our capital! It will arrive in a few hours."

For a moment, the king was stunned. "Who could this be?"

To confirm the report, he immediately contacted his personal soldiers and had them investigate. Within minutes, they responded:

"My King, we have confirmed the sighting of a golden streak approaching the capital. Based on our analysis, the aura it is emitting is similar to your own power."

The king's eyes narrowed. A Rank 6 Star Master? But who?

Rank 6 Star Masters were incredibly rare. Even in the neighboring kingdom of Asteria, the king himself was only a Rank 6. If such a powerful entity was heading toward Rune City, it meant serious trouble.

"Could it be the King of Asteria himself?" the king wondered. To confirm his suspicions, he had his personal soldiers check on Asteria's king.

A short while later, the report came back.

"Your Majesty, we have confirmed that the King of Asteria is still in his castle."

A chill ran down the king's spine. If it wasn't Asteria's king… then who was this mysterious figure?

His face turned grave. Without hesitation, he stood from his throne and issued an emergency decree.

"As King and ruler of this country, I hereby declare a state of emergency! The entire city will go into lockdown, and all defenses must be activated immediately!"

Without wasting another second, the king left the throne room and rushed to a towering structure within the royal palace. This tower was the central control unit of the kingdom's defenses.

Moments later, a massive blue dome began forming over Rune City, covering the entire capital.

The citizens of Rune City watched in fear.

They knew what this meant.

Whenever the protective dome was activated, it signaled one thing—war.

Panic spread through the kingdom. Soon, all 15 major cities followed suit, activating their own protective barriers. These cities were enormous, each the size of a small country, housing millions of people.

Azrael's mere presence had sent an entire kingdom into a state of crisis.

And he was still hours away.