Ashen Dragon

At the moment Cassius carried the "Heart of Karex" into the Prime Material World, the flesh and blood on the heart rapidly decayed, eventually turning to ashes.

For matter losing the source of immortality, time in the star realm was nearly at a standstill, but this was not without a price. Once taken out of the star realm, the time they had lost would be recalled.

Eventually, the enormous heart, which had a diameter of twenty meters, gradually shrank until only a dimly glowing crystal remained—that was the remnant of Karex's immortal bloodline power within this body.

Cassius carefully picked it up.

[Heart of Karex]

Exotic Item, Mythical

Domain: Chaos, Destruction, Dragon, Evil, Fire (Rebirth)

Effect: Unknown (Extremely Dangerous)

Introduction: Karex the Void represents pure strength and destruction among dragons. There is debate that Karex was actually insane, resulting in the endless gale within the Void of Madness. Before being exiled to the Void of Madness, Karex periodically came to the Prime Material World to unleash the unholy fire of destruction upon the mortal realm.

His body was sealed by the gods in the void of the star realm. His divine power dissipated over time, and that remnant ferocious bloodline gathered in his heart, quietly waiting for Karex's return.

Cassius felt a vague unease. The moment he descended into the Prime Material World, he felt several gazes fixed on him.

"This is..."

He hurriedly twisted reality with his will, creating a temporary other-dimensional space to hide the scorching energy crystal and the Stellar Prism, concealing their auras.

At this moment, an inexplicable sense of oppression emanated from his mind, quickly spreading to the outside world.

Cassius looked up at the sky, and his expression immediately became grave.

"It's Tiamat."

Indeed, with an invisible ripple, the colossal illusion of the five-colored, five-headed dragon appeared in the air, towering over Cassius, revealing a sinister smile.

"Child, you have grown stronger."

Cassius nodded slightly, greeting with neither arrogance nor cowardice, "Good day, Your Majesty Tiamat. My insignificant power is nothing before your great might."

The five-headed dragon seemed to be scrutinizing him carefully, or perhaps searching for something, with an endless greed in its eyes.

"However, the stronger the child, the more likely he is to become rebellious, especially a 'special' child like you."

"I hope... you are not like that."

Cassius folded his wings, putting on an earnest innocent look—even though this expression looked menacing and out of place on the face of a Red Dragon.

"Your Majesty, I have always strived for the grand cause of the five-colored dragons. How could I talk of rebellion?"

The illusion of Tiamat continued to scrutinize the Red Dragon up and down, and the leading head once again bared its teeth in a smile.

"As a young dragon, your awareness is commendable. I have always sought ways to expand the power and influence of the five-colored dragonkin in the world."

But then her words stopped, and her tone suddenly became eerie.

"However..."

"The five heads spoke in unison, their overlapping resonant voices filled with tremendous pressure.

The overwhelming pressure was released abruptly, and the fierce wind swept the earth, forcing Cassius to exert all his strength to stand upright, barely avoiding kneeling or collapsing.

"Why do I smell the scent of my foolish brother on you?"

Tiamat said.

This was the true nature of the Five-Colored Dragon Queen, the God of the Evil Dragons. The kindness she displayed earlier wasn't even a mask, but a mere toy to deceive the young dragon Cassius.

Once her core interest was touched, she would tear off all disguises and reveal her greed and might without hesitation.

Cassius strained to lift his head and stared at the five-headed giant dragon in the sky, displaying an innocent, justified expression.

"Your Majesty... I don't understand what you are talking about."

The Red Dragon, as if unable to withstand the pressure, lowered his head and trembled as he explained,

"I am just a lucky descendant blessed by my ancestors, uncovering a bit of heritage from the great Dragon Bloodline. I don't understand the grudges among dragon gods or those ancient histories. I only wish to follow your footsteps and revive the supreme glory of our five-colored dragons."

"I've only been in this world for a mere ten years, not even as long as one of your naps. How could I know another great Dragon God, let alone your brother?"

Finally, he lifted his head with effort, uttering each word with gritted teeth, "Your Majesty Tiamat, there are not two suns in the sky, and no two masters among dragons."

"In my heart—there is only you as the sun!"

Tiamat gave him a deep look.

Instantly, the suffocating pressure lessened by half, and the five-colored giant dragon's tone became gentle, as if nothing had ever happened before.

"Child, I hope your heart truly thinks this way."

"I have seen too many promising young dragons who often oppose me for personal gain, even causing great disasters, which in the end, I must painfully eradicate."

"Know that I regard every five-colored dragon as my own child. Even when I personally snap their necks, I feel immense sorrow and often find myself in tears."

"I do not resent these rebellious children, but I deeply regret their actions. They could have been part of a magnificent grand plan, but instead, they chose a fate destined to be tragic."

Cassius nodded hurriedly, his eyes earnest as he replied, "I follow your teachings, Your Majesty."

"Cassius, my child, remember, whatever I do is for the common good of the five-colored dragons."

"Hope... you don't walk down that opposite path."
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Tiamat's illusion gave him a deep look again, as if searching for something, causing Cassius to hold his breath.

Then, she vanished into the void, taking all the overwhelming pressure with her.

...

"Huff, huff..."

Cassius's heart pounded and his breath was extremely hasty.

He used his scant knowledge of Mind Spells to construct dozens of mental barriers in his mind at once, giving himself some psychological comfort.

"I became too complacent after awakening and underestimated the deity's power."

"This Tiamat's terrifying illusion must not be used casually. It's best to completely remove it from my mind."

Cassius thought.

Just bringing back this "Heart of Karex" for a few seconds had caused Tiamat to descend in person with her avatar, and even several dragon gods were watching from the shadows, making the situation extremely dangerous.

Fortunately, he could barely consider himself Tiamat's "kin" for now, tied to the scattered war chariot of the five-colored dragons, without fully touching the interests of this God of the Evil Dragons.