Dragon Monarch System Chapter 991:- Bone Sphere

"Sir, the Temple of Dragons is drawing in visitors at an explosive rate each day." Right from the moment His Majesty, the Grand Emperor, conjured this magnificent 50-meter-high Pagoda seemingly from nowhere, it pulled in countless thousands of people within just a few hours.

Come the next dawn, Duke Kane found himself dispatching extra guards to handle the swelling masses and ward off any potential accidents. The Emperor had placed the protection of this holy site squarely in his hands, and Duke Kane refused to let Aditya down.

Should he fail, he wouldn't be able to meet the Emperor's gaze.

For Duke Kane, this represented a challenge he absolutely could not afford to lose. Consequently, by the close of the second day after the Temple's emergence, the guard force tasked with upholding order and safety had swelled to 600 strong.

"But Sire, isn't this a tad excessive?" One of his subordinates couldn't resist questioning. Deploying 600 guards solely to safeguard the Temple of Dragons seemed downright excessive. Moreover, these were frontline soldiers who normally patrolled the city streets, and their withdrawal was now sorely missed. The gaps they'd left demanded filling by others.

"The circumstances remain under control." Duke Kane knew precisely what he was handling.

"That's...!!" His trusted aide struggled to find the right words.

Nearly 10,000 soldiers oversaw the security of the entire Provincial Capital. At a glance, that figure might appear substantial, yet the reality proved far more intricate. These 10,000 not only defended the capital but also extended protection to the surrounding hamlets. At minimum, 15 villages encircled the Capital, each receiving troops dispatched by the Duke.

Every village required no fewer than 25 soldiers, commanded by a 4th-order cultivator. Additional forces stood watch in the numerous towers dotting the Capital. Furthermore, not every one of the 10,000 served simultaneously; they rotated in shifts around the clock.

Thus, the absence of even 600 soldiers made a profound impact.

"In that case, it's high time to request my vassals for additional support."

"I'll ensure your orders reach them in under 30 minutes."

Duke Kane grinned while observing his loyal aide dash from the chamber.

'He fretted over nothing.'

Turning his gaze to the window, he reflected inwardly. 'This surge stems from the fresh thrill and intrigue among the Istarin Empire's people. As that fades, daily crowds should drop off sharply.'

'Yet I doubt this influx will taper for at least the coming two or three weeks.'

"Even so, ever since the Temple of Dragons rose, my cultivation pace has surged dramatically." Similar reports came from Dragonians and Half Dragons across his domain.

A 50% enhancement in cultivation speed wasn't trivial; it marked a massive leap.

With this 50% boost, Dragons—already gifted with swifter advancement than other races—grew even more formidable in their progress. For countless cultivators, such an uplift could transform a mere average talent into a genuine genius.

"Daddy!!!" At the sound echoing from beyond the door, Duke Kane shoved aside the papers on his desk and bolted toward the entrance. Why bother with dull, tedious duties when he could lavish attention and playtime on his little girl to his heart's content?

Tasks could wait, but these precious moments with his daughter would never return. As she matured, her days would fill with other pursuits.

Kane dropped to one knee and enveloped his daughter in a warm embrace.

"My lovely Princess, I've missed you terribly."

"Is it ready?" Aditya and Nathan stood within a shadowy room positioned beyond Azure City's bounds. Its precise spot lay amid the northern mountain chains near the city, where the Shadow Guardians had established a hidden jail.

Criminals deemed unfit for life due to atrocities like R**e ended up confined here.

Fresh Shadow Guardian recruits mastered various torment techniques, applying them to these offenders without risk to themselves. Once a captive's spirit shattered utterly, they faced either public execution by stoning or a lingering, agonizing end right there.

Not a single one of his companions knew of this site's existence. Only Shadow Guardian members, along with Spencer and Watson, were privy to this concealed prison, also called the .

"Our latest enlistees toyed excessively with five of the captives. They're now utterly shattered in mind. The remaining four were just apprehended."

Aditya eyed the nine humans bound to seats, all lost to unconsciousness.

He harbored no desire to subject innocents to this fate. These were solely the wicked souls meriting death as retribution, offered up as sacrifices.

"Excellent! Yet ensure they don't relish it overmuch." Should the Shadow Guardians—be they newcomers or veterans—start deriving pleasure from inflicting torment, it spelled disaster.

For when torture shifted from a mere tool to a source of enjoyment, the organization's core mission would erode from within.

The Shadow Guardians served to shield the Empire, collect vital intelligence, and neutralize dangers in their infancy. Any use of torture aimed at swift, effective intel extraction. It was never intended as pastime.

Once it turned into leisure, order would erode gradually. Interrogators might prolong sessions needlessly. Some could even target the undeserving, driven by morbid whims. Innocent folks might yield fabricated admissions under duress, if pain mattered more than truth.

In time, dread of the Shadow Guardians would stem not from justice, but from their savagery. And when Empire citizens feared their defenders over the lawbreakers, the whole framework would crumble.

Worse still, such habits would warp the Guardians into beasts themselves.

If brutality normalized, devotion to the Empire would wane. Selfish urges would supplant obligation. A force so potent, once tainted, might pose greater peril than any external foe.

Aditya grasped this truth deeply and aimed to steer his forces clear of that abyss.

'I've witnessed this decay countless times in my previous existence.' Those sorts were society's foulest leeches.

"Show ruthlessness only when essential. No point in cruelty if milder means yield the same outcome." Nathan gave a grave nod.

Aditya produced a bone tablet. Using a sharp edge, he systematically ended each criminal's existence. With every life claimed, he let a few drops of their blood fall upon the tablet.

Each instance caused the bone tablet to flare with light for a brief moment.

Upon completing the ritual for the ninth, the bone tablet underwent a startling change. It reshaped into a bone orb, etched with profoundly ancient, advanced runes across its exterior. Aditya, nearing half a 5-star runemaster, found them utterly incomprehensible.

『Bone Tablet』

『Rank Mid 6-star』

『Description - The enigmatic ancient runes hold the coordinates needed to unlock a portal to the Pocket Dimension. Channel Mana into the Bone Sphere to trigger the portal.』

'Now to reach out to Athena.' Following the Temple of Dragons' rise, Aditya had quietly geared up for this venture into the Pocket Dimension.

Given the Bone Tablet's origin from a key figure in the Organization, this Pocket Dimension might serve as one of their hideouts. He could encounter fellow high-ranking members—or even the head, if fortune smiled. That's why he'd devoted three days to thorough planning for the journey.

Indeed, the system allowed another minor advancement, but he shunned that route. Barely four weeks ago, he'd hit Beginner 5th-order. Another step now would arouse suspicions.

-

-

Aditya and Athena materialized atop a modest peak ringed by lush woodlands. In the far horizon, a grand castle loomed.

"That has to be our target." Athena gave a confirming nod.

"First, though, we handle our uninvited guests."

"Technically, we're the intruders here, but no matter."

Athena scanned the Goblins encircling them on all sides. Among them lurked several fifth-order ones.

"This gets intriguing!" After slaughtering millions during the Goblin Invasion, he hadn't spotted a single goblin since.

----------------

Sincere thanks to everyone for the generous support via golden tickets and gifts. Let's keep the momentum going!!!