The Return of the Ghost Race

In the northern region of Ruhe Beast Island, the terrain rose dramatically with towering mountains stretching as far as the eye could see.

Though dense forests covered this land, it proved unsuitable for farming ferns or other crops. Most inhabitants were mountain folk who survived by hunting, along with fishermen who made their living from the sea.

These people lived scattered across the region, existing in a primitive state. The various tribes, both large and small, constantly fought and killed each other in their struggle to survive.

They grew tall and strong, wild and combative in nature. In such harsh environments, the weak simply could not survive. Only those with the most robust bodies and greatest fighting prowess lived to pass on their bloodlines generation after generation.

In the eyes of the former city-state dwellers and even the beast-herding tribes, these people were mere savages dwelling in the mountains and coastal islands. They had completely forgotten even the art of writing.

However, over a hundred years ago, the arrival of a merchant caravan completely transformed this region.

Taking advantage of the abundant giant trees in the northern forests of Ruhe Beast Island and the locals' shipbuilding expertise, they constructed numerous vessels to form their own fleet.

The merchant caravan recruited many sailors from the area, as the locals proved to be natural seafarers.

In peaceful times, they conducted legitimate trade with the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents, the Suinhor city-states, and the City of Lights in the Land of Sunrise. However, they would swiftly turn to piracy whenever profitable opportunities presented themselves.

They typically mobilized in groups of hundreds or thousands, raiding coastal beast-herding tribes and Suinhor city-state towns. Their ships allowed them to strike and vanish without a trace, causing no end of headaches for their victims.

But a hundred years ago, the local people overthrew the merchant caravan's leader and unified the scattered fleets.

Using the wealth accumulated through trade and plunder, they established a city that could be called a nation, naming it Avel after their ancestor.

Within Avel stood a royal palace and temple, complete with royal family members and temple attendants. They had nobles, warriors, and common folk, establishing their own social order and customs.

Only then did these descendants of Avel truly possess their own civilization.

The city of Avel was built on a prominent peninsula in the northwest, featuring a natural harbor where countless sailing ships were moored.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!"

From the heights, one could hear the waves ceaselessly breaking against the shore.

Soldiers patrolled the city walls, watching people scurrying like ants back and forth below, continuously transporting goods between the city and the harbor.

"Two more fleets returned today," the soldiers chatted idly while standing guard on the walls.

"I heard they brought back quite a few good things from the City of Lights. Let's go take a look later," one soldier said with eager anticipation.

"I just came up from below. I saw Suinhor fabrics, pottery, and gold. The fabrics came in all sorts of beautiful colors," another soldier described enthusiastically.

Avel's fleet possessed the most detailed information about maritime routes. They understood ocean currents and wind patterns while commanding sophisticated sailing techniques.

They knew the locations of islands and where to resupply.

Moreover, they had established outposts on many coastal islands.

These skills and advantages allowed their fleets to travel freely between regions, amassing great wealth.

This wealth made possible their prosperous city with its magnificent palace and luxurious temple.

At this moment, a Land Dragon-drawn carriage approached from the distance along the main road, surrounded by numerous guards.

Coming from the direction of the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents, it carried Avel's ambassador returning from his diplomatic mission.

The city of Avel hoped to establish good relations and an alliance with the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents, given the proximity of such a powerful nation.

Despite commanding the most formidable fleet of advanced warships that ruled the seas, their position on Ruhe Beast Island meant they could not ignore the influence of their powerful neighbor.

Before the palace, both the King of Avel and the temple's chief attendant emerged to greet the returning party.

Their serious expressions revealed the importance they placed on this diplomatic mission.

The King of Avel walked in front, with the temple's chief attendant following half a step behind.

"My King," the ambassador entered and knelt in the center of the great hall.

"You've returned. What did the King of Ten Thousand Serpents say?" The King of Avel immediately bade him rise and report on his mission.

The ambassador was the King of Avel's son, and his excitement suggested the mission had been successful.

He quickly reported, "The King of Ten Thousand Serpents has grown old and seeks stability above all."

"The current king has lost his appetite for conquest. He thinks only of stabilizing his kingdom to pass it on to his sons and grandsons."

"He accepted all our offered treasures and agreed to form an alliance and establish trade relations with us."

The King of Avel was greatly pleased by this news.

Recently, they had received some troubling intelligence.

The coastal cities of the Suinhor city-states, along with several wealthy merchants and fleets belonging to alchemists from the City of Lights, were reportedly mobilizing.

They had gathered an army of over ten thousand strong, including numerous Ability bearers, forming a maritime alliance with the intention of attacking Avel.

It wasn't just wealth that moved them to action.

These groups all held both old and new grudges against Avel, giving them ample justification for their planned assault.

Furthermore, some tribes within the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents coveted Avel's prosperity and wealth, urging their king to attack the city.

These looming threats had cast a shadow of anxiety over the City of Avel. The ambassador's favorable report now brought waves of relief and joy to all who heard it.

The King of Avel pressed further, "What else did the King of Ten Thousand Serpents say?"

The ambassador replied, "We discussed the specifics of trade arrangements and signed a formal alliance treaty."

"Father, I have brought the treaty with me."

With these words, an attendant presented a scroll contained within a wooden box.

The scroll was made of paper produced in the City of Lights, which had now spread to various nations and cities.

The King of Avel finally relaxed completely and addressed his ministers and temple attendants.

"It seems the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents shows genuine sincerity."

One by one, the ministers offered their assessments. "The King of Ten Thousand Serpents has grown frail with his hundred years," one observed.

"I've heard some of the major tribes in the Royal Court have grown restless lately. The king likely has his hands full dealing with internal matters."

Others added, "The royal princes are reportedly engaged in political intrigue. They have no attention to spare for coveting our territory."

Some military commanders spoke with pride: "We need not fear the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents anyway. We have such a powerful fleet, such a fortified city, and the Ice River Fortress guarding our natural defenses."

The King of Avel turned to the temple's chief attendant: "O servant of God," the king addressed him thoughtfully, "what insights do you have to share?"

"Has God shown any signs of danger or bestowed blessings upon us?"

The chief attendant shook his head: "I must return to pray before God to know for certain."

"However, I believe we should exercise more caution."

The King of Avel asked, "Do you suspect this might be a trap?"

The chief attendant shook his head: "No, not that."

The King of Avel laughed heartily: "It seems God's most devoted servant is quite a sensitive and cautious person!"

To the people of Avel, the words "sensitive" and "cautious" carried negative connotations, typically used to mock the cowardly.

Though the King of Avel respected the temple attendants, he never missed an opportunity to check the temple's power.

The chief attendant glanced at the King of Avel and spoke in a voice that carried the rhythm of chanting scripture:

"The Fire Guardians of the city-states lost everything precisely because they lost their vigilance and their reverence for God."

The King of Avel fell silent, his expression turning thoughtful.

Having spoken these words, the attendant turned and departed.

The attendant returned to the temple.

It was a truly magnificent structure, housing a statue of the Life Sovereign several meters tall, crafted entirely of gold.

In the lamplight, the statue radiated a golden glow.

To the people of Avel, this represented the color of divinity itself.

Unlike the city-state dwellers and tribal people who favored fire as a symbol of divine power, the people of Avel preferred stone and metal. Even after achieving prosperity, they had not forgotten their origins.

They made offerings to God, yearning to rediscover their ancient heritage and prove they were God's beloved children, just like the city-state dwellers and tribal people.

The moment the chief attendant returned to the temple, other attendants immediately gathered around him, calling out his name.

"Lord Xiuborn."

Xiuborn meant "the devout one."

Xiuborn nodded. "Prepare for the divine ceremony. I must receive God's guidance."

Someone nearby spoke up. "My lord, someone has brought a Divine Artifact to offer to God."

Xiuborn stopped immediately and asked, "A Divine Artifact? What kind?"

The subordinate promptly lifted a bronze plate bearing the supposed Divine Artifact.

Xiuborn approached and picked up the object from the plate.

It was a bone hand, but as he held it, he realized it was far too large to be from a Snake Person. Moreover, the bone armor covering it clearly indicated a different origin entirely.

On Ruhe Beast Island, all Divine Artifacts, Miracle Tools, and Life Artifacts were believed to be left behind by God.

Only a few knew these items might have belonged to an ancient civilization, another race that had existed in this world long ago.

Nevertheless, they publicly proclaimed these objects as divine gifts, items created or left behind when God walked the earth.

Over time, more and more people came to embrace this belief.

Despite careful examination, Xiuborn could discern neither the artifact's origins nor the nature of its power.

"I cannot identify what this is," he admitted, "but it is certainly a Divine Artifact."

Xiuborn carefully stored the artifact away and proceeded to issue his orders.

"Prepare for the divine ceremony."

First came the offerings: meat, wine, and precious treasures.

Then began the grand ritual, with all Snake People performing the sacred dance before the temple.

After the ceremony, they sacrificed fanged beasts and Land Dragons as offerings.

Xiuborn knelt beneath the divine statue, raising his hands high.

Firelight reflected off the statue, its radiance flickering across Xiuborn's face.

"O God!" he called out.

"If You sense danger approaching, please grant me Your guidance."

Xiuborn gazed up at the statue, calling out in his most devout manner.

However, God remained silent.

This was not the first time. In fact, such silence had become the norm.

Xiuborn felt lost. From birth, he had been named "the devout one," and he truly believed in his own devotion.

But as he grew older and became the temple's chief attendant, his doubts had grown.

As the temple's highest religious authority, he had never once heard God's voice.

He didn't know if this meant God had abandoned them or if perhaps God had never existed at all.

Finally, he could only sigh.

Turning back to the others, he maintained his devout expression and offered words of comfort.

"God has bestowed Her blessing upon us."

At these words, everyone burst into celebration.

This meant another prosperous year lay ahead, another year blessed by God's grace.

Rumors of an impending attack on Avel grew stronger. The merchant alliance from Suinhor and some elders from the City of Lights were reportedly growing impatient.

Over the past century, the City of Avel had amassed tremendous wealth through trade.

Throughout the Suinhor city-states, people whispered about Avel's divine statue crafted from solid gold that stood several meters tall.

Their city overflowed with riches. Avel's nobles regularly spent fortunes on treasures produced in the Suinhor city-states.

The City of Avel had prepared for battle.

One day, numerous ships suddenly appeared on the horizon.

Their sails displayed various colors, and the vessels came in all shapes and sizes.

Some bore the markings of Suinhor merchant caravans, others the symbols of alchemists from the Land of Sunrise.

Hundreds of sailing ships approached from the sea, all targeting the City of Avel.

This was the maritime alliance of Suinhor and the Land of Sunrise.

Their fleet included merchant vessels from large trading companies, ships belonging to coastal city lords, and sailing warships of alchemists from the City of Lights.

Though they lacked official orders from the Grand Elder of the City of Lights or King Smerkel, they had perfectly legitimate reasons for seeking revenge.

Even the Grand Elder and King Smerkel could not stop them.

Nor did they have any reason to do so.

These young soldiers knew little of the ancient grudges that had sparked this conflict, some dating back over a century. Their eyes gleamed with naked greed for the legendary riches that filled Avel's coffers.

In this era, battles at sea were not yet fought between ships themselves. Sea battles consisted mainly of ships drawing close enough for warriors to board enemy vessels and engage in direct combat. Such naval engagements offered little tactical advantage over fighting on solid ground.

The City of Avel had received early warning of the approaching attack. Upon spotting signs of the enemy fleet, they had begun their preparations.

Archers stood ready atop the walls while shields and spears formed dense ranks below.

Land Dragon riders donned their armor and helmets, gripping their dragon-riding harnesses tightly.

As the alliance's ships landed one by one, the warriors quickly organized themselves into battle formations upon reaching shore.

Suddenly, Land Dragon riders and soldiers of Avel burst forth from hidden positions, launching a surprise attack before the enemy could properly establish themselves.

Small units from Avel charged in, disrupting the invaders' formations while they were still disorganized.

The sudden attack threw the invaders into disarray until their Ability bearers restored order. With waves of their hands, they raised stone walls from the earth to block the enemy's advance and stabilize their position.

They summoned small stone golems and fire spirits to launch counterattacks.

After their initial assault, Avel's soldiers found they could no longer impede the enemy and began to withdraw.

By this time, the alliance forces coveting Avel's treasures had all disembarked and were forming their battle lines for the attack.

"Do you see that city?" someone shouted passionately from the shore, pointing toward Avel.

"The streets are paved with gold, treasures fill every corner!" His voice dripped with temptation, as if already placing glittering coins and riches before everyone's eyes.

"That wealth belongs to us, stolen by these cursed people of Avel!" He continued, stoking the flames of anger in every heart.

"Kill them all and take back what's ours!" His final words whipped the crowd into a bloodthirsty frenzy.

The soldiers advanced in formation, their battle cries more beast than human.

"Kill!"

"Take back our treasures!"

Meanwhile, Avel's soldiers below the city walls rallied to their own cause.

"Defend the City of Avel!"

"Kill the invaders! Protect our families and homes!"

Though simple, these words filled the soldiers with fighting spirit.

"To battle!"

"To battle!"

The second clash proved far grander and more brutal than the first.

It became a scene of terrible carnage.

Archers on the walls rained arrows from above while soldiers below crashed together in chaos that defied description.

Land Dragons charged through the battle lines but soon lost momentum, their riders pulled down by frenzied soldiers.

In the sky and on the ground, Ability bearers engaged in Divine Technique combat.

Small fire spirits spewing flames howled overhead while stone golems three or four meters tall crashed into each other among the crowds.

Yet it became clear that Avel's defenders were better prepared than the maritime alliance's invaders.

The enemy could not breach the city walls and suffered heavy losses below them.

As the attackers gradually lost their momentum, Avel's soldiers grew bolder, transforming from defenders into attackers.

Panic spread among the enemy ranks, and disagreements broke out among their leaders.

Finally, the enemy retreated.

"Whooooa!"

"Whooooa!"

Avel's soldiers cheered as they pursued the enemy forces, driving them back toward the sea.

They intended to force them into the ocean, ensuring they would never dare return.

However, when they reached the shore, they found the enemy had already established fortifications.

Their Ability bearers and stone golems had constructed substantial defenses, waiting for Avel's pursuing soldiers.

After suffering hundreds of casualties and with darkness approaching, Avel's forces began to withdraw.

Witnessing their victory, the King of Avel burst into triumphant laughter.

"We are the children of Avel! We fear no enemy!"

Cheers erupted throughout the city, both inside and outside the walls.

Yet as Xiuborn stood beside the king, a nameless dread crept into his heart.

He could not identify the source of this anxiety.

They had just dealt the enemy a crushing defeat.

In the dead of night, Xiuborn was suddenly awakened by commotion and clamor. A group of panicked temple attendants roused him from his sleep.

In the distance came sounds of battle. The earth shook beneath their feet as if some colossal beast approached the City of Avel.

"What's happening?" Xiuborn asked.

The attendant's face had turned ashen. "We're under attack."

Xiuborn assumed it was the same enemy from earlier. "Hasn't the king already made preparations?"

A nearby attendant shook his head, voice trembling. "The Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents has brought their army! Tens of thousands of soldiers have materialized beneath our walls!"

Xiuborn's expression changed completely. "What?"

He ran out from the temple and climbed to a high vantage point.

Outside the city, firelight filled the sky from countless campfires and enemy torches.

Xiuborn, the temple's chief attendant and one of Avel's most powerful figures, stumbled backward with a sharp intake of breath.

"It's over."

"All is lost."

Though the walls still stood, he already knew the outcome.

The arrival of the Royal Court's army spelled Avel's doom.

While Avel's attention had been focused on the earlier battle, the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents, who had just signed an alliance treaty with them, had instantly torn that agreement to shreds.

Or rather, there had never been any true alliance. It had been a deception from the very beginning.

The Ice River Fortress, which the people of Avel had considered an impregnable natural defense, had fallen before news of its loss could even reach them.

While everyone still basked in the joy of victory or slumbered in their beds, the enemy had already opened death's gates for Avel.

Meanwhile, the recently defeated maritime alliance had returned with renewed vigor.

Their armies now attacked Avel from both sea and land in a coordinated assault.

Xiuborn was furious. Though he had advised caution, even he had believed the Royal Court would not move against them.

After all, Avel was just a small nation, hardly worth the Royal Court's full attention. Moreover, the Royal Court faced internal instability.

The King of Ten Thousand Serpents had grown old, and his sons quarreled endlessly over the succession.

What Xiuborn failed to realize was that the Royal Court's internal instability and imminent succession had made this war even more necessary.

The aging king needed a guaranteed victory, a triumphant campaign to determine his heir.

He needed the glory of conquest and display of military might to cow other tribes into submission.

"How could they do this?" Xiuborn cried out in anguish.

"We had a treaty! They promised not to attack us!"

The truth became painfully clear to him.

"They accepted our gifts and signed the treaty just to lower our guard."

"Despicable! Shameless!"

Before he could say more, a tremendous crash came from the city wall.

A stone golem over twenty meters tall appeared, tearing through walls the people of Avel had thought impregnable.

The Royal Court had deployed a third-rank Ability bearer.

The entire Royal Court possessed only two such powerful individuals, typically kept in reserve to guard against emergencies.

Even moving such strategic assets required extreme caution.

Such high-level power, if carelessly deployed, could spell disaster if enemies seized the opportunity.

Yet now the Royal Court had committed one to destroying Avel.

Xiuborn stood paralyzed as he watched the massive golem.

"A third-rank Ability bearer."

The other temple attendants nearly collapsed in terror. "The walls have fallen."

Chief Attendant Xiuborn had completely lost his composure, at a loss for what to do.

He stumbled back to the temple in a daze, making his way to the statue of the Life Sovereign.

Xiuborn looked up at the Life Sovereign, prostrating himself as he wept.

"O God, I beg you! Save us, save the people of this city!"

But no matter how he begged or wept, God offered no response.

Or perhaps God simply could not hear his pleas.

Mortals always assumed God watched over their every action, all-knowing of worldly affairs.

They believed their wishes would reach God's ears, that sufficient devotion would guarantee an answer.

Such beliefs were nothing more than mortal illusions.

"Lord Xiuborn!" At that moment, someone ran into the temple shouting.

"There's no time! We must leave now!" Several people lifted Xiuborn and hurried him outside.

"The king has prepared ships for escape. We must hurry or we'll lose our chance!"

As they ran from the temple, they saw the entire city had become a living hell.

The invaders who had breached the walls embarked on a massacre, killing everyone in sight like demons unleashed. They burst into elegant homes and buildings, plundering everything of value.

Slaughter, violation, and pillage.

Scene after scene of madness and depravity unfolded before them.

Xiuborn and his guards fought their way through the streets, using Divine Techniques to kill enemy after enemy.

His eyes had grown red with fury.

But for each enemy he struck down, two more appeared.

The more enemies they killed, the more attention they drew.

One of his guards finally spoke up. "Lord Xiuborn, we can't save everyone."

"There are too many enemies. We cannot stop them."

"We must escape now. As long as you and the king survive, we still have hope."

He opened his mouth but found no words.

Indeed, what more could he do now?

Suddenly he realized the king had been right. He was weak.

He could neither receive God's guidance nor protect the city's people.

Faced with invaders, he could only flee in panic.

"Curse them!"

"These cursed tribal people will face divine retribution! They must face retribution!"

Finally, Xiuborn boarded a large ship along with the royal family and nobles.

"Hurry! Dawn approaches!" The sudden turn of events had left the King of Avel equally panicked as he urged them to set sail.

"Fog is rising! Perfect timing!" Everyone felt a surge of relief at this chance of survival.

But at that moment, enemies reached the harbor.

Xiuborn sensed the ripple of Ability power.

He looked up.

Through the mist at the shoreline, he saw an indistinct figure begin chanting.

"Fire spirit."

"Go forth!"

"Grant them death."

At the edge of the sky, roaring flames erupted into a pillar of fire dozens of meters high.

A great fire spirit, a third-rank monster, descended from the heavens like death incarnate.

"No!" The king let out an anguished cry from the deck.

"I don't want to die!" Others turned to flee, but where could they run on a ship at sea?

"Curse the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents!" Someone broke into bitter curses.

The fire spirit's shadow passed over the water, engulfing the ship as everyone watched in terror and despair.

Xiuborn had fallen into a daze.

He stared at the flames covering the sky as if witnessing divine punishment.

His lips moved in a whisper: "O God!"

"What sin have I committed for You to punish Your faithful servant so?"

Before the fire spirit even reached them, the intense heat had everyone crying out in agony.

Then their suffering ended as they became charred corpses.

The sailing ship burst into flames, carrying its cargo of corpses into the mist.

After confirming no one aboard had survived, the Ability bearer on shore turned and left.

As he turned away, the burning ship vanished into the mist. Within its fading silhouette, an otherworldly power began to stir.

At that moment, the flames aboard the ship extinguished themselves.

On the ship's deck, a fire-blackened corpse knelt facing the bow.

The Divine Artifact he carried suddenly burst with brilliant light at the moment of his death.

This corpse was Xiuborn.

From his remains rose a ghostly shadow, merging with the silvery bone hand. As they joined, his ethereal form began to solidify.

His spirit rose high into the air beneath the blackened mast.

Light radiated from within him.

One by one, transparent shadows emerged from the corpses aboard, taking their places on the great ship.