“…MUJUN!!”
Shiki’s shout echoed through the air, her held breath rushing out with the force of her cry. Mujun’s previously smiling expression instantly ignited Shiki’s memories of the man with violet eyes. For a fleeting moment, she was certain she saw Mujun’s eyes flash the same violet hue.
But when she looked again, all she saw was Mujun’s confused face, his expression a mix of surprise and unease.
“S-Shiki… ah, I mean Boss… what happened?!” Mujun stammered, his voice tinged with bewilderment.
Mujun’s nervous and flustered demeanor seemed genuine, yet Shiki couldn’t ignore the strange feeling that had just gripped her. The rapid shift in Mujun’s emotions was too quick, too suspicious, leaving Shiki to wonder if she had imagined it.
After all, they were standing in the Procession Tower, the very place where Shiki had first encountered the man with violet eyes. The thought that Mujun and the violet-eyed man might be the same person had lingered in her mind. But three years of exhaustive investigation had proven otherwise.
Even so, being here again, Shiki couldn’t shake the fleeting vision.
‘How strong is my obsession with that violet-eyed man?’ she thought, shaking her head to dispel the distraction.
This was no time to get lost in her thoughts. There were far more pressing priorities. She needed to rally the Four Seasons and secure key locations in the Starting City.
“Mujun, we don’t have time for this. I’ll explain later! For now, focus on my orders. Gather all the Heads of the Four Seasons and their deputies at the base of the second claw on the left side of the great dragon monument. Can you see it?” Shiki’s tone dropped, her voice calm and deliberate, almost a whisper.
When someone wants to draw another’s full attention, a quiet voice is often more effective than a shout. It compels the listener to focus and strain to catch every word.
“Ah, oh, yes! Yes, I see it—I see the dragon statue!” Mujun’s eyes widened as he looked up at the massive dragon sculpture towering higher than any skyscraper.
“Good! Wait for me there,” Shiki repeated firmly.
“Okay… okay!” Mujun nodded quickly, his confusion still evident, but the flood of questions swirling in his mind pushed him to focus on the clear task at hand.
Shiki trusted Mujun to carry out her orders. Even so, with the sheer number of people crowding the Starting City, locating the Heads of the Four Seasons and their deputies would be no easy task. Mujun understood that, and Shiki had prepared for it. He knew the steps to take.
As Mujun began his mission, Shiki realized she had something far more critical to attend to. Something that could not wait.
Shiki moved swiftly, weaving through the crowd of dragonewts who stood frozen in place, their wide eyes and gaping mouths filled with astonishment. But she knew their confusion wouldn’t last long. Soon, the “Game Introduction” would begin.
BING~ BING~ BING~ BONG~
The sound rang out, like the pre-departure chime on an airplane, resonating across the Starting City. It swept away the panic and chaos, leaving the dragonewts looking upward, searching for the source of the sound. Yet it seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once, filling the air like a whisper, enveloping the entire city.
Then came a mechanical female voice, dramatic and theatrical, as if performing for an unseen audience on a grand stage.
[Welcome to the City of Beginnings!]
[You are currently inside the Procession Tower, a place designed to welcome the arrival of the Predestined Bride.]
[I am the Event Organizer for the greatest wedding in the history of the universe!]
[All of you will help me prepare this wedding and become the greatest bride of all time. But remember, greatness isn’t handed to you—it must be earned. You must complete three crucial agendas.]
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[Agenda One: The Attire of a Bride.]
[A wedding is the most beautiful dream for a bride—a moment when they stand at the altar in a gown that radiates elegance, making them the center of all attention. But the greatest bridal gown is not made of silk, velvet, or satin. It is crafted from skin, flesh, and blood. Only the strongest are worthy of donning this attire! Become the most dazzling bride in history and claim the gown that will crown your strength!]
[Agenda Two: The Ring on the Fourth Finger.]
[A ring is the eternal bond between two souls destined to love each other. There is only one true pair of rings in existence, symbolizing everlasting love. Make your ring the one and only! For this, only the strongest can lay claim to it!]
[Agenda Three: The Most Magnificent Wedding Venue.]
[The greatest wedding in the universe deserves to be held in the most beautiful, highest, and most unreachable location. This place lies at the pinnacle of the Procession Tower, under the most breathtaking sky, on ground untouched by any other. Climb to the summit and make it yours!]
[These are the three main agendas to prepare for the most extraordinary wedding in the history of the universe!]
[Become the greatest bride there ever was and seize a life beyond imagination!]
[With that, I hereby declare: THE BRIDES WAR BEGINS!]
[P.S.: For more information, open the invitation card that has now appeared before you.]
In an instant, a glowing card materialized in the air, floating before each dragonewt. Standing amidst the crowd, Shiki glanced at hers briefly before letting out a long sigh.
"Even though I’ve heard it in previous loops, that voice still sends shivers down my spine," Shiki muttered, her hand moving quickly to grab the invitation card floating in front of her.
As her fingers brushed the card's surface, a radiant light burst forth, flowing into her body like a wave of energy. Simultaneously, the same mechanical voice echoed once more, piercing directly into her thoughts.
DING!
[Congratulations! You have earned the rights as an invited guest. However, only those who successfully complete all three agendas will become the true bride.]
[Activating Procession Tower System: Mode: Guest.]
----------------------------------------
Name: Shiki Gankou
Title: -
Essence: 0
Cultivation: -
Bloodline Purity: Level 0
Dragon Essence: Dragon Eyes
Completed Agenda
Agenda One
Agenda Two
Agenda Three
Draconis Peak: 0% Blood Purity (Level 0)
Wyvernia Peak: 0% Blood Purity (Level 0)
Draconium Peak: 0% Blood Purity (Level 0)
The Ring of Fourth Finger: 1/7
(The Ring of Infernal Guardian)
First Floor: Foundation of Dread
(Dungeon Conquer: 0%)
Second Floor: Hall of Shadows
(Dungeon Conquer: 0%)
Third Floor: Chamber of Trials
(Dungeon Conquer: 0%)
Fourth Floor: Sanctuary of Flame
(Dungeon Conquer: 0%)
Fifth Floor: Vault of Ascension
(Dungeon Conquer: 0%)
Sixth Floor: Ethereal Bastion
(Dungeon Conquer: 0%)
Seventh Floor: Pinnacle of Eternity
(Dungeon Conquer: 0%)
Eight Floor: Dominion of Oblivion
(Dungeon Conquer: 0%)
Ninth Floor: Crown of Infinity
(Dungeon Conquer: 0%)
Tenth Floor: Throne of the Creator
(Dungeon Conquer: 0%)
----------------------------------------
As she read her status, Shiki’s brow furrowed in disgust. The lines of data were a stark reminder of how weak she had become. Once an unrivaled queen, she had now fallen to her lowest point. Shame surged within her like a fire, consuming the remnants of her pride.
But that shame quickly transformed into a blazing determination.
"This is only temporary..." Shiki thought, clenching her fists. "Soon, I’ll surpass who I once was. No—I'll become stronger than anything that’s ever existed!"
Suddenly, something in her status caught her attention.
"Hmm?"
Her eyes locked onto the “Completed Agenda” section, which listed only one item: Agenda Two: The Ring on the Fourth Finger.
Her brow furrowed momentarily before her gaze shifted to the ring encircling her fourth finger. The ring shimmered, its beauty almost unnaturally perfect. Shiki had long suspected the mysterious origins of this ring, but no matter how many times she contemplated it, the answers always eluded her.
Now, however, a new truth had been revealed: the ring was an Agenda Item, a requirement for completing the second agenda.
A faint smile crept across Shiki's lips, accompanied by a sharp glint in her eyes.
"Fufufu~ How fascinating..." she murmured, her voice cold yet brimming with lethal enthusiasm.
She gripped the ring tightly, as if drawing out its hidden power. Now, she knew her journey had only just begun—and nothing would stand in her way as she reclaimed her throne and soared to heights greater than ever before.