From Secret Clan to the Divine Dynasty

In the season brimming with the freshness of spring, an unusual air of tension pervaded the depths of Nasir City's royal palace.

Her Majesty Queen Peggy, the symbol of Cyart, was about to embrace a sacred and solemn moment in her life—the birth of new life.

The news, like the most gentle ray of sunlight at dawn, instantly illuminated every corner of the palace, quietly planting seeds of anticipation in everyone's hearts.

"Hurry, faster!"

Servants within the palace bustled orderly between the halls, their steps hurried yet careful to maintain the dignity required.

The queen's birthing room was meticulously arranged, with soft satin bedding piled just right, and the air filled with the faint scent of extraordinary plants.

The doctors were on full alert, vigilantly attending by the queen's side day and night, hoping their extensive experience and exquisite medical skills would ensure the seamless progression of this life-transferring ceremony.

"It's almost time!"

"Everyone, be ready."

In their eyes was the wariness of facing the unknown, yet all members of the Dawn Church knew well that the doctors were there merely for symbolic reasons.

The one who would actually be responsible for ensuring the smooth progress of the birthing was High Priest Archer of the Dawn Church, waiting outside the door. Should any mishap occur, he would send the doctors out and enter the room himself.

With Archer's rune power present, the birthing process would face no real danger, and it could even be said that any incident could be reverted by his great power!

"The prince is about to be born..."

"Yes, it's almost time, everything will go smoothly."

"Hmm, let us have faith in Her Majesty Queen Peggy and the protection of the divine."

In the council hall, court ministers spoke softly, discussing how to announce the joyous news to the nation once the queen had given birth.

Outside the royal palace, the entirety of Nasir too was immersed in a tense yet expectant atmosphere.

People paused their work to gather in plazas and markets, silently praying for the queen, eagerly awaiting the safe arrival of the newborn prince, with speculations and blessings for the new life incessant on the streets.

Outside the birthing room, but for Karno who had left and Felix who had joined the Reforging Church, the rest of the Fischer family members stood guard at the door.

Christine in her wheelchair was particularly excited, but she also couldn't help but marvel at how swiftly time had passed, and that she was about to have a grandson.

"Time flies so quickly, I've grown old before I knew it... I wonder if I'll have the chance to reach the 5th Rank, sigh."

Christine suddenly felt a sense of realization, surprised by how fast time had elapsed, and that she had become a woman of over fifty in the blink of an eye.

Suddenly, Hecate spoke up, "Do we know what Peggy and Arte's child will be named? It's confirmed to be a boy."

The matter of the newborn's name was indeed of utmost importance. The future king of Cyart could not bear a less-than-stellar name—both significance and pleasant sound were crucial.

So, the members of the Fischer family all looked to Christine. As the Fischer family patriarch, she held more authority to speak on the matter than anyone else.

Christine nodded lightly, speaking slowly, "I actually asked Peggy for her opinion earlier. His name shall be Auston, which means 'Born from Nobility'."

Although Queen Peggy was initially nothing more than a puppet of the Fischer family, she and Arte could be said to have grown to love each other after their arranged marriage.

Perhaps because they both had been controlled by their families, their affection for each other had warmed rapidly after marriage, and so the Fischer family's treatment of Peggy inevitably softened a lot.

"Auston?" Darren muttered to himself, pondering the name.

Everyone understood why the child was to be named Auston. The continuous transformation of "birth" had always been the result of the Fischer family's persistent struggles. The name "Born from Nobility" was not about pride in one's lineage but rather symbolized the family's rise from lowly beginnings to their current noble status.

Finally, the baby's cries echoed from the room, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief, followed by cheers that erupted throughout the entire palace!

"He's born!"

"The future king of Cyart is born!"

People were brimming with joy!

The High Priest Archer of the Dawn Church closed his eyes and silently prayed to the great Lord of the Lost.

"Oh, king of the Fischer family! From this moment forward, you are born with the blessings of the Divine, brought to life in this world! You shall usher in a new era for the Dawn Church, manifesting God's Kingdom on Earth!"

Darren, cloaked in a black greatcoat, slowly left the palace.

In silence, he raised his hand and conjured a mass of black tides. For over a decade, he had cultivated a wealth of negative emotions by purging domestic opposition, fully mastering the extraordinary power of the 5th Rank, "Shadow of the Demon."

Darren was well aware of one thing: he now only needed to complete the ritual for the 6th Rank, "Mad Lich," to step onto the Path of Shadow's sixth tier.

"Mad Lich, huh? Sounds like a tier for spellcasters, but I prefer close-quarters combat. Ripping apart the flesh allows one to truly feel the control over life—it's the most gratifying moment."

He murmured to himself, aware that the ritual for the Path of Shadow's 6th Rank, "Mad Lich," was complex and rigorous.

First, the Extraordinary Exponent must fully master the power of the 5th Rank, "Shadow of the Demon," and then gather a large amount of aura from the dead, preserving it in a special way, followed by collecting three particular types of sacrifices.

These are the "Corner of the Pitch Black Object," "Remnants of the Nightmare World," and the "Death of the Undead."

Finally, the ritual is completed only after all three are absorbed through the aura of the dead.

Whether it's the "Corner of the Pitch Black Object," "Remnants of the Nightmare World," or the "Death of the Undead," all of them are somewhat abstract concepts. In the beginning, Darren couldn't even confirm what they actually were, only discovering their specific locations later through the prophecy of the "Demonic Woman" Hecate.

Suddenly, Old Dog, Carol, and Alger all appeared silently beside Darren.

He spoke calmly, "You've all heard about the disappearance of the Cardinal 'Pitch Black Tidal Surge' from the Tempest Church, right?"

"According to intelligence estimates, he vanished outside of the Capital of the Seven Suns Empire."

"Rhea and Carnia are already getting restless and will definitely join forces to invade Cyart within the next two years, which I must complete the ascension ritual before."

"As for Chris, sigh, I wonder how he's doing now..."

Darren fell into deep thought. A decade had passed and Chris, whose talent was even greater than his, might also be close to mastering the power of the Path of Tranquility's 6th Rank, "Apostle of the Night."

It was unclear whether Chris was a bit faster or slower than Darren. The man could return only a few days each year, and he barely communicated with others.
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And even for a human as powerful as Chris, stepping onto the 7th Tier of the Path of Tranquility, the "Reaper's Blade," would definitely be a challenging feat.

He continued speaking to his three subordinates:

"If I can successfully step onto the 6th Tier, and Chris also solidifies the 7th Tier, then even a combined force of Carnia and the Rhea People couldn't possibly be a match for us."

"But things may not go as smoothly as that..."

"However, before that happens, the Dawn Church, especially the Black Tide, has many things to do; perhaps you can secure a decisive victory before the war even begins."

——

In the shadows of Rhea today, a group of cunning and secretive Cyart Black Tide spies are lurking.

They blend into the realm of Rhea like chameleons, disguised in various professions and identities, gathering information and carrying out missions noiselessly.

Members of the Path of Contract from the Dawn Church transform into business elites, frequenting upscale hotels, under the guise of business negotiations to extract sensitive information from their targets while covertly observing the economic dynamics of the enemy nation.

Extraordinary beings from the Path of Knowledge, true scholars, engage in academic exchanges, penetrating Rhea's research institutions using their expertise and the extraordinary power of "Profound Memory," sifting through the vast ocean of information for valuable intelligence, providing strategic support and aid to Cyart.

Others aligned with the Path of Tranquility, even more low-key, disguise themselves as ordinary workers, farmers, servers, or street vendors, blending into the common crowds of Rhea, gathering the emotions, attitudes, and reactions of the Rhea populace bit by bit through everyday interactions and mundane chatter.

The existence of the Black Tide gradually brought Darren's eyes to every corner of Rhea!

And recently, a very disturbing message came from Rhea...

It was this message that left everyone from the Fischer family restless.