Dragon Monarch System Chapter 961:- Fall Back

The party traversed the path with great speed. Following the display of power he had recently shown, no one dared to obstruct their progress.

Since every operative of the organization along this route had been eliminated, there was no longer any requirement for them to travel in stealth or restrict their pace.

Aditya and Athena both concluded that maintaining their anonymity was pointless at this stage. With the inclusion of Aditya and Athena, the collective combat strength of the group had increased exponentially.

Should any remaining members of the organization attempt to block their way, they were fully prepared to cut them down.

Once they had cleared the route and left the Pine zone behind, the group immediately detached themselves from other travelers, vanishing completely from public view.

"I am aware that Brightmor City offers great security. However, traveling there would be a waste of our time."

"Indeed, we would lose at least a full day traveling to and from that city." Athena raised a valid point that forced him to pause and reflect seriously.

Up until this moment, they had not finalized their next course of action.

The most pressing priority was securing a secluded and safe location where Athena could merge with her other soul fragment in peace.

"Very well, let us find a distant place where the two of you can undergo the merger."

The group eventually reached the furthest outskirts of the Saint Mirage Desert. This region of the desert was exceptionally desolate; they encountered not a single soul even after traveling for twenty kilometers.

After confirming the area was deserted, they discovered a massive boulder roughly the size of a small fortress.

The structure was riddled with deep fissures and cave-like openings on every side. The group selected the largest cavern, while Alfred erected an earth wall several meters from the entrance to ensure total privacy.

"Athena, once the two of you merge, what becomes of Laura?" Aditya inquired, his voice laced with concern.

A faint smile touched Athena's lips. She felt a sense of warmth seeing how deeply this man cared for Laura's well-being.

"Do not worry! When she merges back into me, I will be whole again. I will inherit her memories, just as she will gain access to mine."

"Once the merger is complete, we cannot split apart for a duration of 24 hours. In the past, the cooldown period was nearly seven days. However, as our Cultivation has progressed, it should now take only 24 hours." If they attempted to separate before the 24-hour mark, their soul would sustain severe damage. Even after the initial merging, it takes between 12 to 20 hours for soul fragments that have been parted for decades to properly bond and achieve true unity.

Athena was confident that by regularly merging, bonding, and then separating, this recovery time would continue to decrease. She believed that in the future, they would be able to merge and split at will without needing to wait for many hours.

Both Aditya and Laura felt a wave of relief upon hearing this. Aditya had no desire to lose Laura forever.

As for Laura, while she dreaded the thought of being away from Aditya, she had finally found happiness through him. She wished to experience this life fully, viewing herself as an individual person rather than just a fragment of Athena’s soul.

Furthermore, since her childhood, Athena and her kin had always treated Laura as a twin sister rather than a mere extension or clone of Athena. Athena had no intention of curbing her twin sister's autonomy.

"Additionally, my power will increase slightly as I absorb her cultivation. If I choose, I can fully fuse this cultivation energy into my own to raise my level, or I can set it aside to return it to her the next time we separate."

"Does that imply you could share your own cultivation with Laura?" Aditya asked instinctively. If such a thing were possible, Laura could easily break through to the Peak 5th-order.

Athena shook her head in denial.

"I hold the majority of the soul percentage between us. Consequently, I am the original root of the soul. Therefore, I cannot transfer my power to my other half; I can only receive her cultivation." The most they could do was exchange their collective knowledge.

"Very well! Let us begin." Athena and Laura entered the cave while the others stood guard at the entrance, positioned behind the wall Alfred had built.

"To you, it may seem as though we are attempting this for the first time. But believe me, that isn't the case. We have merged and separated many times before. Just leave everything to me and do not fight the process," Athena said, offering a gentle smile.

Laura felt her heart lighten. Though she had been anxious about the ritual, Athena’s reassurance soothed her nerves.

Athena moved closer, taking Laura’s hands in hers.

"Now, close your eyes and allow our energies to intertwine. We must strive to achieve what I term Resonance."

"A soul merger is only possible once Resonance has been achieved."

In the meantime, Aditya and the rest of the group observed from a distance of about ten to fifteen meters.

"Your Highness, it is imperative that you return to the Celestial Dragon Empire and reclaim your throne as the Emperor," Alfred stated, his voice filled with urgency.

He was well aware that Aditya had plenty of reasons to refuse. The young man had built his own foundation without any external aid. Truly, there was little incentive for the exiled Crown Prince to return. Alfred would not have been shocked to learn that His Highness harbored resentment toward his parents.

However, the current crisis was too severe. Ren was a tyrant who had to be stopped at any cost for the future of the Celestial Dragon Empire and the well-being of its citizens.

"Your Highness, the Throne is yours by right. Not even your cousin Ren can displace you."

They were doing their utmost to persuade Aditya to return and take his place as the legitimate Emperor. Yet, they knew this endeavor would be far from simple.

Watching Aditya’s silent expression, they began to dread that he would not be swayed.

However, his subsequent words took them completely by surprise.

"My cousin Ren traveled to the Dwarf Tribe, the rulers of the Sand Mirage Desert." Upon hearing this, the trio of Alfred, Bree, and Mateo were stunned. They were all aware that the Dwarf Tribe and the Celestial Dragon Empire had once been steadfast allies. Within the Capital, many squares and streets bore the name of the Dwarf Tribe's Great Ancestor, who had been a close companion to the founder of the Celestial Dragon Empire.

"But what would bring him here?" Bree and Mateo were confused.

"Your Highness, you don't mean...!!" The butler, who had served the Royal Family for centuries, immediately grasped why a man like Ren would visit this place. Ren wasn't seeking allies.

"Yes," Aditya nodded gravely.

"After advancing to a high level in the Trial and disclosing my true identity to the Dwarf leader, I was granted a long audience with him."

"I discovered that Ren sought to have them lift the restrictions placed upon the Royal Throne and the Crown."

"But why?" Bree still didn't understand.

Mateo quickly pulled her aside to explain. "It means the Royal Throne and the Crown have refused to recognize him as the legitimate Emperor of the Celestial Dragon Empire."

"This implies that Ren is unable to sit upon the Royal Throne or wear the Crown."

"The current generation of the Dwarf Tribe lacks the power and skill to remove those seals. Even if they possessed the ability, the Tribe would never consent to it. Consequently, Ren's subordinates left the Tribe after issuing numerous threats and warnings. Now, the Dwarfs have no choice but to take a side."

"I still feel bitterness toward those who exiled me. That is something I cannot ignore."

"However, I still care for my homeland and wish to defend it." Furthermore, Aditya was certain that his cousin would eventually target him. Ren wanted Aditya dead, but before that, he had to find a way to break the soul-binding contract connecting Aditya and the seven goddesses.

Regardless of the reason, a confrontation between Aditya and Ren was inevitable.

It was better to begin preparations sooner rather than later.

"I have resolved to fight. I made this choice during the trial when I encountered the soul remnant of the Dwarf Ancestor."

"The Dwarf Tribe has pledged their support to me in this struggle."

Hearing this news filled Alfred, Bree, and Mateo with immense joy.

"But we will not move just yet. First, I must return to the Istarin Empire to settle some matters there." Aditya had only planned to stay for two weeks, and his time was nearly up. Furthermore, in his absence, the Organization had managed to capture his Dragonians and bring them here.

Aditya felt there were pressing issues that demanded his immediate attention.

Moreover, he wanted to ready his own Empire for the coming conflict.

"For now, my plan is to return and strategize there. We will require allies from both within and outside the Celestial Dragon Empire." Aditya was aware he could not achieve this goal alone.

"Then we shall accompany His Highness to the Istarin Empire." Alfred's declaration made Bree and Mateo beam with happiness. Within the Six Continents, they would be safe from harm. They were also genuinely curious to see the Empire His Highness had established in such a short period of exile.