Chapter 1266: Chapter 200: The Half-Revealed Identity and the Flying Unyielding Fortress

——The Last Echo opened the Gate.

Countless Exobeasts surrounded It as It stepped onto streets that only existed in memory, yet hadn’t been seen for a millennium.

The researcher buildings along the road remained unchanged, and the Twelve High Towers towering into the clouds were as before. The majestic dragon bones stretched skyward, their hollow eye sockets gazing upon this land, seemingly meeting Its eyes from afar.

In the eyes of the True Dragon, it once reflected the last batch of the most elite and intelligent people of an entire civilization.

In the final moments of life, accompanying the True Dragon was not a struggle filled with despair, but a goal brimming with hope and vigor, a sincere experiment the True Dragon willingly cooperated with.

But now, these streets, these researchers, have vanished in the wind.

They have become memories, even less than Echoes.

They and the True Dragon are all dead. It’s simply unbelievable, clearly the hope of civilization ended in failure… In all histories, stories, and epic legends, shouldn’t this be the moment of success?

But failure is failure.

Because of the Star God’s failure, because of the True Dragon’s failure, because of the Terra civilization’s failure… Thus everything turned out as it is.

‘Echo’ reminisced to this point, and It couldn’t help but shake Its head. That robust and majestic, incredibly solid metal Dragon Head merely moved slightly, yet stirred an unbelievable gale, causing Origin Quality and Spirit Energy to ripple like waves from a stone dropped into a lake.

But fortunately, there’s still a chance. The last chance.

They all failed.

So ‘we’ must succeed.

Even if it’s just an Echo.

Even if only memories remain.

The dark gold True Dragon is advancing.

Like flames, yet like a tangible entity, golden light entwined around its body, six pairs of blazing red eyes focused on everything before it.

A body over thirty meters tall clad in heavy metallic armor, even the seemingly fragile abdomen and joints revealed lines with a silvery steel sheen. It’s a kind of living metal coating, tougher than regular Armored Clothing.

This mysterious True Dragon merely by existing emanated an eerie aura.

Everyone present found themselves having to freeze in place when facing it. A feeling like a tsunami or landslide swept over them; rather than Dragon Might, it was pure death foresight, as if their solid path suddenly transformed into a narrow bridge, with an unfathomable Abyss on either side.

“Impossible, Fourth Energy Level high stage… even a peak Origin Substance Reaction?!”

“If it’s this level of Titan Creature, why would they let us down here?! Even the greatest relics of civilization were at most initial Fourth Energy Level, wasn’t it said the previous generation of civilization had no creatures above Fourth Energy Level?!”

The Exploration Team was chaotically retreating, utterly afraid of confronting or counterattacking, because they faced a Fourth Energy Level True Dragon capable of dominating the world, only curbed by the Fifth Energy Level.

With its own power alone, it equaled a king of the land!

Buzz!

Seemingly annoyed by the Exploration Team’s noise, the True Dragon’s eyes focused in their direction. A lightning-like beam struck the ground before them, vaporizing the Crystal Stone floor that wouldn’t shatter even under Alchemical Cannon fire.

As this crimson death ray swept through, it carved a trench over a thousand meters long before the Exploration Team, the warning inherent in its action silenced them completely.

“…Hey, Mahdi…”

Gaer turned his head on the Crystal Stone Plaza. Seeing the dark gold True Dragon made him suddenly feel icy cold, even his soul shivered in chilling fear: “You just said it was ‘We’ll go together’, right?”

——Must run! Must escape! Must leave immediately!

The Bloodline roared such words—even the most aggressive wolf-blooded warrior would unhesitatingly flee before an indomitable foe…The first Great Khan traversed eight thousand miles across the world precisely by fleeing against overpowering enemies without hesitation, becoming the Azure Sky’s final punishing blade.

And on that dark gold Dragon’s body, his instincts warned him, the intuition forged through countless battles cautioned him: the irresistible adversary stands before him, and his strength could never resist.

Unless…

“Agreed beforehand.” Gulping, the young Werewolf gritted his teeth and spoke to the also halted ‘The Unyielding Fortress’: “I can’t be the vanguard against this caliber of enemy!”

“That’s certain.”

Hearing the Knight’s response, ‘Mahdi’ replied without hesitation: “I will lead, joining forces with you… after all, haven’t you all noticed?”

“This guy’s target is everyone present here.”

Indeed, that’s true.

Everyone present, whether Gaer or Aina, Golan or Anfa, Elg, Necrocaller, ‘Ian’, Sio or Silver Salt, or other less powerful Exploration Team members wouldn’t face off against a mysterious formidable creature, the ‘Master of the Labyrinth’ in the Heterogeneous Research Institute Relics, just by Mahdi’s words.

However, each felt the intense instinct and sense of crisis constantly warned them: they have become the target.