"Possible," Feidric mused, but he was more concerned with something else. "Based on this feat, Mydeimos appears to be merely human, not some ancient god."
This contradicted Feidric's earlier theory, but he quickly realized, "Didn't their conversation mention the phrase 'Blasphemy Against the Gods'?"
The White-Bearded Old Mage pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Very well, let's proceed that way."
He cast the spell again, this time targeting Mydeimos' father, the king who had committed Blasphemy Against the Gods.
Without a doubt, blasphemy against the gods qualified as a Legendary Feat. The Legend Lore spell functioned flawlessly, and soon, an image materialized within the crystal ball.
Everyone watched intently, even Cipher. To be honest, she had been slightly anxious when the White-Bearded Old Mage first used the spell to investigate Mydei's background. After all, Mydei had only arrived in this world less than half a day ago. How could he possibly have any Legendary Feats yet?
What if Mydei had just finished boasting about his legendary feats, only for the Legend Lore spell to reveal nothing? Wouldn't that expose him as a fraud?
But if this magic could somehow uncover the true events of True Mydei's life, then there was nothing to worry about.
Within the Crystal Ball, a magnificent and bustling metropolis materialized first, far grander than anything he had ever seen. Above it floated a colossal sword, the Blade of Fury, an awe-inspiring sight.
Though both were cities, Cloudsea City felt like a small, dilapidated village in the countryside compared to this place.
The Crystal Ball's perspective rapidly descended, settling upon what appeared to be a vast factory entrance. Before its gates knelt a group of priest-like figures, chanting in unison:
"Unvanquished One, Lord of every battlefield, King of Castrum Kremnos and the Ruins, Titan of Strife, Lance of Fury, Nikador!"
"You are the commander whom all the world should condemn, the eternal and sharp-edged weapon, the law that governs both Strife and its cessation!"
"Hail Nikador, greatest conqueror, greatest protector!"
"You are the tyrant of all the defeated, bearing alone the world's accumulated wounds."
"Divine wrath descends! May the valiant guardians of heaven and earth, resolute in their defense, secure peace for a thousand nations and drive back ten thousand enemies! May this imperishable scourge obliterate a thousand kingdoms and reduce ten thousand foes to ashes!"
Without a doubt, this so-called "Titan of Strife - Nikador, the Lance of Fury" was the legendary "Ancient God." Though none present (except Cipher) had ever heard of this God of Strife, the priest's earlier recitation of his legendary feats offered a glimpse into his immense power.
This was undeniably an immensely powerful god... or so it seemed.
However, as the Crystal Ball's perspective shifted forward into the factory, the former King of Castrum Kremnos was seen directing the artisans in crafting a colossal statue. His voice crackled with fanatical urgency: "Faster! Work faster! Harness the Titan's power to forge more weapons! With these, the conquest of Okhema is within our grasp!"
As the former King spoke, the statue the artisans were building slowly began to stir. At that moment, the Legend Lore spell came to an end.
Using a god's power to forge weapons is undeniably blasphemous, yet it seems utterly illogical. How could a mere mortal possibly exploit a deity?
Douglas suggested, "Unless the god is in an extremely weakened state, caught in some extraordinary circumstance."
Feidric nodded. "I agree. Moreover, the First King of Castrum Kremnos mentioned Okhema. It seems they were enemies. But why did Mydeimos insist the Divine Artifact must belong to Okhema? Does he appear to be aligned with them?"
Dio replied, "Isn't it obvious? After being abandoned by the First King, Prince Mydeimos sought aid from Okhema, Castrum Kremnos's enemy, to reclaim his throne. If I were the King of Okhema, I would undoubtedly support such a move, establishing a new Castrum Kremnos Kingdom friendly to my interests."
Feidric frowned slightly. "Is that really the case?"
After all, in the first Crystal Ball vision, Mydeimos declared himself the leader of the Castrum Kremnos Army. This implies that his allies in reclaiming the throne would be domestic forces from the "Prince Faction" within Castrum Kremnos, rather than a foreign power.
During the discussion, everyone's gaze turned once more to the White-Bearded Old Mage, eager for him to continue his divination. The mage stroked his beard and addressed Dio, "Well? Do you finally acknowledge the power of the Divination School's magic? Say a few flattering words, and I'll continue."
To be honest, Cipher was genuinely impressed by the Divination School. Just from seeing Mydei once, the mage had deduced so much information. Like everyone else, she was now eagerly anticipating what story the Crystal Ball would reveal next, like watching a captivating movie or binge-watching a thrilling TV series.
Dio, never one to mince words, immediately bowed deeply and apologized. "Forgive my foolishness! Please, Your Excellency, overlook this trivial offense!"
The White-Bearded Old Mage stared in silence.
Clearly, he had overestimated the moral standards of a Bard. As a Class Holder who wandered the world, Dio had seen and experienced far too much to be easily embarrassed. When it came to shamelessness, Bards were absolute masters.
In this situation, it would have been far more satisfying to watch Dio squirm, reluctantly apologize, and make a show of great reluctance. But Dio's apology was too decisive, leaving the White-Bearded Old Mage feeling strangely unfulfilled, as if he'd been robbed of his vengeance.
The old mage's lips twitched slightly before he resumed his incantation. A circular platform appeared in the Crystal Ball, where two sides faced off. One side consisted of Mydeimos, whom everyone recognized, and four unfamiliar figures: a white-haired man wielding a longsword, a pale purple-haired young girl with a scythe, a black-haired man with a spear, and a tall woman with shoulder-length gray hair wielding a flaming lance.
The other side featured the colossal sculpture crafted by the artisans in the previous vision—an avatar of the God of Strife. The white statue clutched a golden spear, and a voice reverberated through the space: "If you fall beneath my spear, you need not understand these words. But if you manage to entomb me, promise me this: you will use the Coreflame as fuel, ignite a blazing flame, and continue to resist the Black Tide!"
Then, raising his spear high, he roared, "I am the Lance of Fury, Nikador! Messenger of chaos, embodiment of strife, I am the necessary scar upon this world!"
"Come! Best me! Grant me an end befitting a warrior!!!"
However, just as everyone was glued to the Crystal Ball, watching the two figures about to clash in a cataclysmic battle, the image abruptly cut off.
All eyes immediately turned to the Old Mage, their faces etched with confusion. The White-Bearded Old Mage cleared his throat. "I'm running out of Magic Power," he explained. "Let's skip this meaningless spectacle. We already know the outcome, don't we?"
The Old Mage took a swig from a Magic Power Potion and continued, "Mydeimos must have slain the God of Strife. That's likely why he calls himself the Demigod of Strife. He wasn't the original God of Strife; he was a mere mortal who killed that deity and seized His power."
Douglas was stunned. He murmured, "A mortal slaying a god? Is that even possible?"
Returning alive from the Underworld was already absurd enough, but now this?
Feidric explained, "Killing a Faith God in battle is utterly impossible. Their Divine Kingdoms are completely isolated from the outside world, independent spaces that no one can enter without the god's explicit permission. Even if a Faith God manifests an avatar on the Prime Material Plane and that avatar is slain, their true form will inevitably regenerate within their Divine Kingdom. In essence, as long as a Faith God retains a single worshiper, they remain immortal."
"Ancient Gods, on the other hand, are powerful beings inherently bound to the Prime Material Plane. Theoretically, if one grew strong enough, could they truly hunt an Ancient God?"
"But that would be like an ant trying to hunt a human. While not strictly impossible, the probability approaches zero."
In comparison, killing a Faith God might be easier. If you annihilated all their followers, leaving not a single one alive, the god would fall into a deep slumber, never to awaken—effectively dead.
After catching his breath, the White-Bearded Old Mage resumed casting his spell. "This is my last drop of Magic Power," he said. "I never imagined I'd drain my entire reserve using Legend Lore..."
The image in the Crystal Ball showed a courtyard where Mydeimos was conversing with another elderly, one-eyed man.
Mydeimos took a deep breath and declared, "Now... the power of Strife surges within me. My bones have become steel, my blood boils and burns. The Kings of Castrum Kremnos past could only dream of wielding this power, but I have become one with it."
The scene felt like it had skipped the climax of the battle. Douglas scratched his head in disbelief. "Wait, he actually succeeded?!"
Though they had anticipated this outcome, hearing Mydeimos proclaim it himself sent shivers down their spines.
But let's not forget that the Old Mage's magic could only reveal legendary feats. The fact that this vision was appearing now meant that Mydeimos had performed another such feat shortly after killing the god.
No way... How could something others strive for their entire lives come to you in bulk? One after another, like a string of beads?
In the Crystal Ball's vision, Mydeimos continued, "I have made history. From this day forward, gods and kings shall coexist."
Beside him, the one-eyed elder exclaimed with awe and excitement, "Indeed! You have fulfilled the ambition of every King of Castrum Kremnos! Now you can finally lead our people home and restore the glory of Castrum Kremnos!"
But in the next instant, Mydeimos' tone shifted abruptly. "Alas... that is not my intent. As I have surveyed Castrum Kremnos' two-thousand-year history from the perspective of a god, I have realized its utter meaninglessness!"
He turned to the one-eyed elder, his expression solemn. "I command you to relay my words to every citizen of Castrum Kremnos. I, Mydeimos, the last Tyrant of Castrum Kremnos, Son of Gorgo, hereby declare—on this day, the Castrum Kremnos Dynasty officially ends!"
In that moment, though the image was small and fleeting, everyone present felt an overwhelming sense of shock and awe. To dissolve a nation, to end a dynasty! This was no ordinary decision; the sheer audacity required was staggering.
Douglas swallowed hard, his voice trembling with disbelief. "So, when he first called himself the 'King of Castrum Kremnos,' he wasn't actually claiming to be a king at all? Those words were merely a title...?"
"No wonder I was confused," another voice chimed in. "Why would a king wander around unsupervised, even taking orders from another faction? Now it makes sense..."
With that, the Crystal Ball's vision faded. It had revealed three legendary feats of Mydeimos, which could be summarized as: King Slayer Becomes King, God Slayer Ascends to Godhood, and Dynasty Ender.
Each of these feats was utterly mind-blowing.
Aria had kept her mouth slightly agape throughout the entire display. Finally, she spoke, her voice hushed with wonder: "He's... amazing..."
This was the evaluation of a simple country girl with little education and no talent for extravagant descriptions. Yet, all her feelings about the story were condensed into two words: "So awesome!"
Through the Old Mage's magic, the group rapidly gained a deeper understanding of Mydeimos. However, as their knowledge grew, so did the number of unanswered questions.
For instance, what exactly was Okhema, that it could command the allegiance of such a formidable demigod? And why was the God of Strife in such a weakened state? What was the meaning behind his final plea to continue the fight against the Black Tide, and what exactly was the Black Tide?
Now utterly drained of magic power, the Old Mage had to lean on his students for support to remain standing. Yet a broad smile stretched across his face. "I thought this journey's 'broadening of horizons' would merely involve glimpsing the Travel Book," he chuckled. "But it seems the 'broadening of horizons' foretold by my magic was actually encountering the Demigod of Strife, Mydeimos!"
"Not just my students, but even I have learned a great deal! When I return to the Arcane Federation, I'll persuade all the wizards in the Prophecy Tower to begin investigating Okhema!"