Chapter 1108: Divine Oracle

A torrent-like surge of Holy Light swept across the forest, engulfing the fleeing trolls and instantly igniting their bodies.

"Ah…"

The trolls let out harrowing cries, but they soon subsided.

When the Holy Storm ceased, the Holy Knights found themselves standing on a clearing hundreds of meters in diameter, the trees, thorns and underbrush all burned clean, the ground itself glazed with a crystal layer, fully exposed, and there was no living thing besides themselves.

"Blazing Sun above!"

The Holy Knights stared in amazement, their gazes toward Korsaro changed.

They had read in the tribe's ancient records about the "Holy Storm", said to be wielded only by the highest‑talented high‑ranking Holy Knights as a pinnacle Divine Technique, but seeing it with their own eyes revealed just how terrifying its power was!

"Captain, there are still trolls alive!"

A sharp‑eyed Holy Knight pointed toward the distant forest, where a squad of troll hunters originally on the outer rim had luckily escaped the Holy Storm's range.

In another direction, a few scattered enemies were sprinting desperately, all relatively fast.

Four elite Holy Knights immediately split up to give chase.

But just as they started, a flash caught their eyes; the captain's figure vanished, turning into a beam of light that instantly crossed hundreds of meters and appeared beside the enemies.

The great sword swung, and Holy Light erupted.

The high‑ranking troll hunter blocked only one strike before being cleaved at the waist in an instant.

The other troll hunters were horrified to the brink of panic, yet they did not surrender; seizing the moment as Korsaro slew the leader, they fired arrows and spears.

Korsaro neither dodged nor evaded, allowing the arrows to strike his body.

A Holy Light Barrier manifested on his armor; the arrows and spears shattered into powder on impact, causing no damage.

With a single sword he slayed the hunters' leader; Korsaro triggered Instant Teleportation, his figure appearing amid the hunters' ranks, both hands raising his sword to spin at high speed, unleashing a plain Blade Storm, dozens of sword‑qi imbued with bright holy fire erupted, cutting the surrounding trolls into fragments.

Then, he used Flash Step again, chasing behind enemies in another direction, raised his blade and cleaved off a head.

Korsaro's figure flickered back and forth.

One second he was on the east side, the next he suddenly appeared on the west; each appearance saw an enemy fall beneath his sword.

The Holy Knights' eyes barely kept up with his speed, even giving the illusion that several Korsaros were simultaneously pursuing the enemies.

After a dozen or so breaths, the fleeing enemies were all cut down.

A flash of golden light, and Korsaro returned to their side.

The Holy Knights could hardly believe what they had seen, standing stunned for a few seconds before regaining composure, their eyes filled with awe and a hint of zeal.

"Blazing Sun above!"

A Holy Knight asked in a trembling voice, "Captain, your strength…" He shook his head in disbelief; even Chief Zulazabu seemed not to possess the captain's overwhelming power, but he hesitated and said nothing.

It wasn't just him; the Holy Knights present shared similar thoughts.

"This is the power of the Divine Technique!"

Korsaro read the Holy Knights' thoughts, his face solemn and devout, making a prayer gesture, and said earnestly, "Our lord Anse resurrected us and granted me the Divine Technique. He told me the Blazing Sun has risen, returning to the heavens!"

"Great!"

"Blazing Sun above… at last, at last… we have waited for this day…" a devout Anse follower sobbed uncontrollably.

Even though the miracle was right before them and fourteen trolls had undergone resurrection, they were still overjoyed.

The Holy Knights knelt, raising their voices to the sky in prayer, praising the Blazing Sun.

The radiant orb high above gradually faded.

When calm returned, the Sun Trolls' spirits also settled a bit, and Deputy Captain Kage looked toward Korsaro.

He was the elite Holy Knight second only to Korsaro in strength, over forty years old, having fought countless battles, just one step away from promotion to high‑ranking Holy Knight. He was also a devout follower of the Blazing Sun deity; after Korsaro fell he fought to the death, yet heard no Divine Oracle during his resurrection.

Most importantly, he had not received the Divine Technique.

"Korsaro," Kage said, his face full of envy yet tinged with doubt, "why did only you obtain the Divine Technique, and not us?"

The other Holy Knights were likewise invigorated by his words.

Indeed, everyone is a follower of Anse, praying to the god almost daily, so why only the captain received the Divine Technique's blessing?

Korsaro gave Kage a glance; this deputy captain, outwardly his second‑in‑command, was actually a spy placed by his grandfather.

Kage had coveted the captain's position for a long time; once he ascended to high‑ranking Holy Knight, he would issue a challenge.

According to Blazing Sun Tribe tradition, the victor becomes the captain.

"Hm."

Korsaro's gaze caused Kage a moment of panic; he lowered his head, unwilling to meet eyes, and then said softly, "The god has already blessed us; in fact you have received the Divine Technique. Your talent is insufficient, so you cannot yet master it and need some practice."

"Really?" the Holy Knights said, half‑believing, half‑doubting.

An elite Holy Knight closed his eyes, entered meditation, and after a few breaths opened them again, a faint glow emanating from his fingertips settled on his body.

"Healing Light!" he exclaimed joyfully, "I can now heal with the Divine Technique!"

The other Holy Knights, seeing this, each entered meditation and soon discovered it was true; somewhere in their souls, Divine Technique runes had appeared without their noticing.

After a brief trial, several Holy Knights successfully manifested the Divine Technique.

Although still unskilled, most Holy Knights had only mastered two or three Divine Techniques, some only one, but this was a tremendous surprise for them; once they fully mastered the Divine Technique, their power would surge dramatically.

Moreover, the Divine Technique symbolizes the god's blessing!

The Holy Knights could all foresee that now Anse had resurrected, and in the future within the tribe, possession of the Divine Technique would determine a Holy Knight's standing.

For over ten thousand years, I have been among the first Holy Knights to wield the Divine Technique!

Of course, the captain is the most favored by the god.

They only obtained two or three Divine Techniques, whereas Korsaro has mastered an unknown number, able to wield them instantly, and their potency is terrifying.

The Holy Knights had all heard the legend of the Divine Chosen, and the Blazing Sun priests often mentioned the Divine Chosen during prayer rites.

It is the god's emissary among mortals, even an incarnation of the god!

"Could it be…"

The holy knights couldn't suppress the thought that sprang into their minds, "Ke Er Sa Luo was chosen by the god, becoming a Divine Chosen?"

For a moment, each of them harbored their own thoughts.

Deputy captain Kage's eyes flickered, and when he looked up his face already wore a flattering expression as he eagerly said, "Captain, should we immediately return to Sarta and bring the good news that the god has revived, announcing it to the tribe?"

The proposal was instantly approved by the holy knights.

A troll said, "With such a commotion, perhaps the tribe already knows."

"Then we must hurry back, and quickly," another tall troll said solemnly, his face grave, "The god surely sent a divine decree to the captain; we must escort the captain back so that he can deliver the decree to the tribe himself."

Ke Er Sa Luo glanced at that troll with high regard.

Earlier in the battle, others called him "Jialolin," also an elite holy knight, and one of the four holy knights who persisted to the end without being killed.

Jialolin not only possessed outstanding strength but also had a keen political sense.

Ke Er Sa Luo nodded and said, "I indeed received a divine decree that must be conveyed to the tribe. However, the tribe does not yet know that the god has revived; for this matter, the god has his own arrangements. Our mission is simply to return safely to Sarta."

The holy knights looked at each other, about to speak but held back, and ultimately asked nothing.

A hint of joy flashed in Jialolin's eyes as he urgently said, "Captain, we must set out now."

"Go."

Ke Er Sa Luo waved his hand, leading the way into the forest, back to the spot where they were first ambushed, and ordered his subordinates to retrieve the scattered mounts.

The Blazing Sun Tribe, like other troll tribes, tames mounts; the holy knights' mount is the "Fearhorn Dragon," about four meters long, limbs on the ground, with a thick bony plate along both sides and top of the neck, three sharp horns on the forehead—one large and two small—with the middle horn over one and a half meters long; the tail bears rows of bone spikes ending like heavy hammers.

The Fearhorn Dragon is also clad in golden heavy armor, raising its defense, and a sturdy saddle is fitted on its back, allowing up to four holy knights to ride together.

Being herbivorous, the Fearhorn Dragon has great endurance; it can carry large prey and is also ferociously powerful in battle.

Hundreds of Fearhorn Dragons charge, often breaking through enemy formations in a single rush.

Ke Er Sa Luo's hunting party is equipped with five Fearhorn Dragons.

The trolls of the Hunterhead Tribe coveted these mounts, so during the ambush they deliberately held back, causing no harm to the Fearhorn Dragons.

Eighteen holy knights climbed onto the mounts and raced toward Sarta.

Bang bang bang……

The thudding footsteps of the Fearhorn Dragons faded into the forest and soon disappeared.

In the clearing created by the Holy Storm, Lei En and Sheng Jilesi's silhouettes appeared, exchanging a glance; everything was proceeding according to their plan, temporarily smooth. Next came the most crucial part of the plan.

However, before Ke Er Sa Luo returns to the tribe, there is one more task to complete.

A few minutes later.

In a room on the middeck of the Augustus, the real Ke Er Sa Luo, his corpse bathed in the light of the Complete Resurrection Technique, opened his eyes.

He rose bewildered, discovering he was in an unfamiliar place.

It was a closed room, extremely bright; a soft light emanated from a strip crystal set into the ceiling, and the walls and floor were as smooth and clean as mirrors. When he reached out, the surface felt cold, entirely cast of metal.

The room also contained some furnishings, presumably a bed and tables and chairs, all made of metal.

"Where is this?"

Ke Er Sa Luo murmured softly, still haunted by the pain and despair of his death, quickly feeling his chest wound had healed and his body restored.

If the armor hadn't still been damaged, he would have almost thought it was just a dream.

"Why didn't I die?"

Ke Er Sa Luo surveyed the room again and saw a door on one wall.

He was unsure, for the door was only an outline, lacking a handle; when he tried to open it, it wouldn't budge. He forced it, his hand emitting holy light, a faint glow appearing before his eyes, repelling his hand, while the door and wall remained intact.

"What is that?" Ke Er Sa Luo asked, bewildered.

Suddenly, a figure materialized before him.

Ke Er Sa Luo had never seen a race like this; the being's stature resembled a troll's, standing on two legs with arms, but its facial features were completely different from a troll's. With a single glance, Ke Er Sa Luo felt as if struck by lightning, sensing a terrifying aura.

This power was hundreds of times stronger than his grandfather Zuzab's.

He even wondered if this was a Loa!

Ke Er Sa Luo fell to his knees, trembling all over, and then heard a gentle voice in troll language say, "Ke Er Sa Luo, I will make a bargain with you."

The suffocating pressure subsided.

Ke Er Sa Luo mustered courage and looked up, noting the Loa‑like powerful presence wearing a crown woven from golden leaf blades, majestic and noble, mysterious as an emperor perched on a throne overlooking his subjects.

He steadied himself and, in a trembling voice, asked, "Who are you?"

Then, Ke Er Sa Luo heard a reply that left him utterly confused, incomprehensible: "I am the emperor of one of the three great human empires, the Oriense Empire, Ryan Augustus."

Human? Oriense? Emperor?

Lei En looked at the bewildered troll without further explanation, tossed several Ai Lun E Si history volumes in front of Ke Er Sa Luo, and casually took out a "Language Comprehension" scroll, tore it open, and placed it on the troll, enabling him to understand the Aurelien Language.

"When you finish reading, we will talk again."

Ke Er Sa Luo's gaze left the books, only to find Lei En had already vanished.

He opened the first page of the book; the script was unfamiliar, yet miraculously he could read it, and the first entry in the table of contents was "Troll Era."

Before finishing the first page, Ke Er Sa Luo was shocked.

As he read deeper, the troll's mind was shattered, and the room constantly echoed with sucking sounds and screams.

"Sun above!"

New Continent, Old Continent, eras shifting;

Abyss! Demon! Gods! Elves! Dwarves! Humans! Empire…

When the true Ke Er Sa Luo was immersed in Ai Lun E Si's history and his worldview was completely shattered, the disguised Ke Er Sa Luo had already led his party, racing through the forest to reach Sarta at the foot of the Klerea Mountains.

The Blazing Sun Tribe trolls saw a hunting party, hurried into the city, rode the Fearhorn Dragons along the wide stone steps, climbing layer by layer to the highest tier of Sarta, stopping in the plaza before the Sun God Temple.

Soon, thunderous drums rang throughout the city!

(End of chapter)