In the lowest chamber of the Abandoned Temple Dungeon, a room has been specially arranged.
The ground glows faintly with the emanations of a Magic Circle, casting enchanting illusions.
Light beams down from the ceiling, brightening the room so it doesn't feel the least bit gloomy.
Ethan still lies in bed, with Eluna crouched beside him.
"Lord Ethan, why haven't you awoken yet?"
A heavy shadow of worry casts itself across Eluna's features, not solely due to the multitude of events that have transpired over the last half-year, but also because of the lingering curse upon her.
To avoid burdening Mia and the others, she's kept this curse a secret.
But with half a year gone by, Eluna feels she can no longer contain it.
Gently lifting her shirt, she reveals an intricate flower pattern at her chest.
Its crimson lines have already extended across her bosom and are inching closer to her abdomen.
She has no idea what havoc the curse might wreak once it fully manifests, but she is certain it won't be anything delightful.
Lost in these thoughts, her hand instinctively grasps Ethan's, pressing it against her face. The warmth of his palm brings her some comfort.
"Eluna."
Just then, a familiar voice interrupts her reverie.
Startled awake, she finds Ethan, now conscious and looking at her.
She can't hold back her emotions and leaps towards him, exclaiming, "Lord Ethan, you're finally awake."
"Alright, Eluna, you can get off me now."
Ethan pats her back gently.
Eluna promptly sits up, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes.
"Is everyone else alright? I don't see Mia or the others," Ethan asks, a tinge of worry in his voice.
Eluna quickly reassures him, "They're fine, they're fine. Mia, Sherry, and Pale Wolf are all busy training a monster army to strengthen our domain."
"Training a monster army? What has happened?"
Ethan instantly sensed that something was amiss. "There's been a lot that's happened, and it's a little hard to sum up quickly. Lord Ethan, why don't you come out with me? Mia and the others will be ecstatic to know you're awake."
Eluna took Ethan's hand and led him out of the dungeon.
The joy upon Ethan's awakening was palpable among Mia and the others.
They rushed forward, hugging Ethan tightly, their eyes glistening with unshed tears.
Finally, upon Victor's suggestion, they decided to hold an intimate banquet to catch Ethan up on the recent events.
With Victor orchestrating the affair, the feast was soon ready.
"This is a special type of fish brought back from Snowy Plains, called icefish. When you eat it, it's like having an ice cube melt in your mouth, but it's also incredibly flavorful," Victor introduced one of the dishes.
Ethan seemed a bit surprised. "Snowy Plains? That's quite a distance from here. I assume this icefish wasn't cheap to acquire?"
"In reality, it's not that expensive," Victor shook his head.
Sherry then elaborated, "During the six months you were unconscious, the Azure Empire expanded its territory to the lands south of Snowy Plains, nearing the ocean."
" Kingdoms like the Sunset Empire and Elf Kingdom have been conquered. Except for the lands originally under the control of various Dark Lords, virtually everywhere else has fallen under the Azure Empire's dominion."
"The Azure Empire is that powerful?" Ethan was genuinely shocked, having limited knowledge about them.
Sherry nodded before continuing, "Not only do they have formidable military strength, but they also control a variety of potent Magic Circles. For instance, they have these ultra-long-distance teleportation circles."
"In what used to be Riverside in the Sunset Empire, now probably renamed as Blue Sea City, there's a grand teleportation Magic Circle that can directly connect you to the Azure Empire's capital."
"Besides teleportation circles, they have a variety of other Magic Circles," Sherry continued.
"It's no wonder the Sunset Empire and other kingdoms fell. There's a reason for their defeat," Mia and others chimed in.
After nearly an hour of explanation, Ethan had a fairly comprehensive grasp of the current situation.
Additionally, Eluna and Sherry elaborated on the events in the Red Jade Valley, particularly concerning a woman named Lana Mokos.
By now, everyone understood that Mokos was a surname belonging to the Azure Empire's royal family, implying that the woman was of royal lineage.
"Lana Mokos, I don't think I've ever met her," Ethan shook his head, his brow furrowed in confusion.
Suddenly, his expression changed, "When we were resting in that cliffside cave, I felt like someone was watching us from the shadows. Could it have been Lana Mokos?"
"Unfortunately, there's no way to confirm that," Ethan shook his head again, deciding not to dwell on it any further.
However, Komait seemed still vexed. He grumbled, "I was limping for months after we fought that monster, and the spoils of that battle were stolen by that woman. If I ever see her again, she won't be able to stand up when I'm done with her."
"Easy, Komait. You're hardly a match for her," Pale Wolf jested with a laugh.
This was obviously a jab at Komait, who promptly retorted, "Pale Wolf, how about we step outside and settle this? I'd like to see just how far your Giant Clawed Werewolf Bloodline has come!"
Hearing this, Pale Wolf quickly apologized; he had no interest in being humiliated.
At this moment, Victor discreetly left the room.
He returned carrying a small wooden box and placed it on the dining table, whispering, "Perhaps we don't have to be so disheartened. Why don't you see what this is?"
"A heart!"
Everyone leaned in to see a beating heart inside the box.
"Victor, what's going on?" Ethan questioned, recognizing immediately that it was an Oksd heart, though it had been shrunken to the size of a fist.
Victor shook his head, "Lord Ethan, I'm not entirely sure myself. After you fell unconscious, Mia and the others brought you back. Komait came in with a sack of items, unceremoniously dumping it on the ground."
"When I sorted through the items, I discovered this. There was also this scroll."
Victor then handed Ethan a scroll made of animal hide.
The scroll, retrieved by Komait from beside Luke's corpse, described the formula for a Power of Dragon elixir.
"[Draconic Strength Elixir]
[Grade: Epic]
[Required Materials: One portion of dragon blood of rare grade or higher, three portions of Blue Whale Essence, three portions of Hero's Soul, three portions of Dark Lord's Blood, one portion of Fusion Dust]
[Preparation Method: Place all ingredients into a vessel, and use wood magic to fuse them together]
[Potion Effects: Greatly enhances the user's physical strength, significantly boosts the user's magical resistances, has a minute chance to grant dragon's gifts, effects are permanent]"
After reading, Ethan nodded, finally understanding why Luke and Luvi had been so keen on targeting him.
But now, this formula was his.
"Komait, well done. Scavenging the battlefield is a good habit," Ethan praised, genuinely impressed.
The acquisition of the Oksd heart and the Power of Dragon elixir formula were unexpected boons, all thanks to Komait's 'trash picking.'
Ethan then stored the Power of Dragon formula in his Space Ring.
However, the small wooden box still resisted being stored away.
It was only while probing the Space Ring with his senses that Ethan realized he had yet to check an ancient kingdom's notebook he had acquired.
He pulled it out and began leafing through its contents, along with the rest of the group, eager to discover what more they could learn from its weathered pages.
Two hours later, the group had finished reading the notebook.
"So, it seems the downfall of that ancient kingdom was entirely self-inflicted," Mia commented, earning nods of agreement from Sherry and Eluna.
Pale Wolf, however, was fixated on the Oksd. "According to the notebook, each of Oksd's six eyes holds a special power. One of them can open spatial portals, which sounds a lot like how Lana Mokos entered the cave."
"I think you're onto something," Sherry chimed in, recalling the scene. "I do remember her holding a crystal orb."
"Let's not get sidetracked," Ethan interjected. "The Azure Empire's power has increased substantially, and Lana Mokos is part of their royal family. Any thoughts of retribution should be postponed, at least until our domain is stronger."
Ethan had already sensed the collective yearning for payback among his comrades.
However, he wasn't inclined to act hastily, not out of fear, but because the days ahead promised to be busy.
Browsing through the system logs alone nearly overwhelmed him with information that needed to be sorted.
More urgently, Eluna's curse needed to be lifted—that was the priority.
For the remainder of the feast, Victor spoke of the current state of their domain and the challenges faced by various Dark Lords.
Mia discussed their exploits in hunting Heroes, Eluna reported on the domain's resource reserves and mentioned some neighboring Dark Lords' plans to invite Ethan to their alliance.
Pale Wolf and Sherry were in charge of monster training.
And then there were the whereabouts of other original members.
The rapid invasion by the Azure Empire had sown chaos, making reliable information hard to come by.
The banquet stretched deep into the night.
Pale Wolf, Victor, and others eventually returned to their quarters, but Eluna, Sherry, and Mia stayed behind, their eyes alight as they looked towards Ethan.
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