Boom!
A simple, concept-wreathed fist smashed into Vali's right cheek.
Upon impact, Vali's head jerked sideways, his entire face deforming as his body tilted and collapsed to the side.
Just then, two crisp footsteps echoed.
The grey-skinned duplicate Luo Shu advanced two steps, paused before Vali for several seconds, then kicked him away like a stray dog obstructing the path, sending Vali flying out of the hall.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Vali landed in the stone cavern outside the hall.
At that moment, a creaking sound arose.
The circular gate leading to the True Dragon Legacy slowly closed, eventually obscuring the grey figure within.
Once silence resumed, a figure abruptly materialised in the cavern, approaching Vali. Drawing near, the figure slowly raised a firearm, aiming the barrel at Vali.
Just then, a sigh resonated:
"Cease. This is meaningless."
The gun-wielder turned, revealing a grim countenance—none other than Joseph, Director of America's Central Intelligence Agency.
The halted Joseph turned his head, glaring furiously at the middle-aged man with an eyepatch over his right eye:
"Will you stop me, Rad?"
"We were so close—this half-dragon with draconic blood nearly completed the trial and passed the guardian's test."
"Such an unstable element must be eliminated here and now!"
Joseph's face contorted viciously as he spat these words, features etched with malice.
Attaining the final True Dragon Legacy and the Angel-level True Dragon Sorcerer Class required two conditions.
First: defeat the guardian protecting the dragon pearl!
Second: a dragon-blooded lifeform must demonstrate its entirety to the True Dragon, earning the guardian's acknowledgement!
The first challenge method was for non-dragon species—failure meant death, and escape was virtually impossible except by extraordinary means.
The second method was comparatively simpler; even upon failure, the guardian granted one opportunity to start anew.
Thus, the second method offered two chances—only after both failures would the guardian execute the challenger.
Moments earlier, Vali had triggered the second mode and nearly succeeded in gaining the guardian's recognition.
Faced with such demonstrated potential, Joseph naturally sought immediate eradication.
However, Rad maintained a negative attitude towards his approach:
"Calm down, Joseph."
"Don't forget what our purpose is."
Hearing this, Joseph narrowed his eyes, his gaze full of gloom as he stared at Rad, clearly poised to immediately deliver a fatal blow if the answer proved unsatisfactory.
Faced with such a Joseph, Rad sighed softly and said:
"Take a close look at his palm."
Upon hearing this, Joseph frowned, glanced down at Vali beneath him, stepped on Vali's hand to flatten it, and saw the azure diamond-shaped pattern in the palm.
Seeing this pattern, Joseph's expression immediately darkened:
"Rad, what have you been hiding from me?"
"I haven't hidden anything." Rad shook his head and said, "In fact, I reminded you from the start not to let overly powerful dragonkin enter this trial ground."
"And this is the reason."
At this point, Rad paused before continuing:
"That diamond-shaped pattern represents the Dragon's Hoofprint."
"It's the candidate's proof of passing the first trial."
"With this proof, we cannot kill this half-dragon, because killing someone bearing the Dragon's Hoofprint will mark you with the dragon's curse."
"I assume you don't want to participate in the trials carrying such a mark."
"After all, facing the guardian with this mark would subject you to an Apostle-level death trial!"
Hearing this, Joseph's face turned ashen: "Then control some insect to kill this half-dragon."
"Useless. If the dragon's power could be deceived so easily, it wouldn't be called the True Dragon's power."
Rad shook his head, denying Joseph's suggestion, and stated directly:
"I suggest you'd better keep this half-dragon controlled, maintaining him in a deep sleep throughout this trial. This way, you can avoid the risks while ensuring the Class power isn't taken by others."
Joseph fell silent upon hearing this proposal, eventually putting away the gun in his hand, then glanced at Rad and said:
"So then, how do we obtain the dragon's legacy now?"
"Don't forget, even though you and I have the authority to manipulate this trial ground, to obtain the Class, we must still pass the guardian's trial..."
Seeing Joseph raise this question, Rad remained silent for a moment, then said:
"Have you forgotten? The guardian's strength is constructed based on the template of the current trial ground's strongest participant."
Hearing this, Joseph was stunned:
"You mean we have to eliminate Luo Shu?"
"Are you sure you're not joking?"
If it were yesterday, Joseph would probably have tried to find a way to deal with him upon hearing that they needed to eliminate Luo Shu.
But today, after using the trial ground's authority to secretly observe everyone's challenges against the guardian, Joseph understood that such an idea was simply suicidal.
For anyone below the Demigod level to challenge a Demigod, there was simply no possibility of success!
Hadn't he seen how the Thirteen Apostles promoted by the Union appeared more fragile than infants before a single Demigod replica?
And that was just a replica!!
"How could ordinary humans possibly defeat such a monster?"
"Why are you thinking about killing Luo Shu?"
Rad looked at Joseph with a strange expression and retorted:
"Couldn't we just politely escort him away?"
Hearing this, Joseph's expression immediately turned subtle:
"You mean... using the authority we both hold... to deport him?"
"But the problem is, how do we accomplish such a thing?"
Upon hearing this, Rad suddenly lowered his voice and murmured eerily:
"Even a Demigod isn't without moments of carelessness..."
As Joseph listened to Rad's explanation, he gradually showed a look of comprehension.
This method was worth taking a gamble on!!
...
Meanwhile.
Outside the stone cave.
Evangeline, who had escaped some time ago, glanced at Kazuma Yagami standing in the distance, then looked at Jun Tao and the others on the other side, before finally turning her gaze toward the cave entrance. Sensing the already settled magical fluctuations inside, she couldn't help but mutter to herself:
"Has that brat finally died?"
At this point, Evangeline paused, then couldn't resist asking everyone:
"So, what should we do now?"
After she spoke, the scene fell silent.
Indeed, what should they do now?!