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”Looks like I can only deal with it later.”

With a thought, the Fatal Pocket Watch transformed into a streak of light and flew into the core slot of John’s Lord Inventory.

”Next... it’s time for the real jackpot.”

John flipped his palm.

A heavy chest radiating a dark golden glow appeared in his hand.

Its four corners were embedded with deep crimson gemstones.

A Six-Star Chest!

John spoke in a low voice.

”Open.”

”Click!”

The magical lock on the chest instantly shattered.

A dazzling golden light burst through the cracks, so bright that it was almost impossible to look directly at.

[Ding!]

[You have opened a Six-Star Chest!]

[Obtained: Basic Resource Selection Pack ×10,000!]

[Obtained: Six-Star Unit Altar Stone ×1!]

[Obtained: Rampart Tier Castle Blueprint ×1!]

Three new items instantly appeared inside his inventory.

The first two were nothing surprising.

Although they were extremely valuable, they were still relatively common rewards.

Only the final item made John freeze in place.

It was a thick scroll made from unknown beast hide.

Golden flames burned around its edges.

[Building Blueprint: Rampart Tier Castle (Growth-Type)]

[Building HP: 1,000,000 / 1,000,000]

[Core Trait: Domain Blessing (All allied units within the territory gain +50% to all attributes, +50% HP regeneration speed, +50% movement speed, and -50% skill cooldowns)]

[Construction Requirements: Basic Wood ×10,000, Basic Stone ×10,000, Basic Iron Ore ×10,000, Basic Gold Coin ×10,000]

[Evaluation: A magnificent fortress on the edge of an empire. The foundation of civilized urban development.]

”Rampart Tier Castle... it actually dropped here!”

In the survival rules of Godfall Continent, territorial development also followed a gradual progression.

Villages were only the most basic form.

Only after constructing a castle could a territory truly step into the path of urban civilization.

It was the foundation for all future development.

More importantly, it directly determined whether a lord could survive.

Because the most important function of a castle was protecting the Lord Altar.

The Lord Altar was the most important object for every lord.

For example, if a lord died while exploring outside, as long as the altar remained intact, they could revive through it.

Of course, this revival was not without a price.

The lord would lose levels and some equipped items.

The cost was severe, but at least they would survive.

However, once monsters destroyed the territory and broke the Lord Altar, the lord would immediately lose the qualification to enter the game.

Just like those players who disappeared last night.

Besides that, castles were also growth-type buildings.

Its grade could start from the initial Rampart Tier, gradually advancing through Vanguard Tier, Throne Tier, and Celestial Radiance Tier, all the way to the legendary God-Tier Fortress spoken of only in myths.

Each advancement in tier brought defensive improvements and domain enhancements that increased exponentially.

”We’ll talk about this after I return.”

John glanced at his inventory.

Although the upgrade requirements were expensive, he could actually afford them now.

However, the castle could only be constructed after returning to his territory.

For now, there was something more important.

John stored away the blueprint.

Stepping over the shattered bones scattered across the ground, he walked directly toward the enormous skeleton at the center of the basin.

The two-hundred-meter-long Ancient Dragon skeleton lay across the wasteland.

Its head was raised high.

The dark golden skull was taller than a two-story building, with enormous fangs interlocked like blades.

”Go. Pry open its jaw.”

John turned his head and issued an order.

Five massive Undead Dark Knights immediately dismounted.

Their heavy armor collided with the dragon bones, producing deep metallic impacts.

The five Dark Knights wedged their massive armor-piercing lances between the gaps of the dragon’s teeth.

Their bone armor glowed with gray death energy as they pushed downward with all their strength.

Accompanied by a sharp grinding sound, the dark golden dragon jaws that had remained sealed for countless years were forcibly opened.

A gap large enough for one person appeared.

John stepped forward, lowered his head, and entered the dragon skull.

The inside of the skull was incredibly spacious.

The ground was covered with a thick layer of unknown dark-red crystals.

At the very center of the skull cavity sat a coffin carved from a material resembling white jade.

This was the Ancient Dragon’s coffin.

John took out a golden scroll from his inventory.

An SSS-Rank Hero Recruitment Scroll.

”Rip!”

The scroll was torn apart.

Brilliant golden light erupted from the broken parchment.

Countless tiny streams of light transformed into glowing serpents and slipped into the cracks of the bone coffin.

”Crack!”

The entire bone coffin instantly developed spiderweb-like cracks across its surface.

An overwhelming amount of deep-purple mist erupted from the fractures.

The scorching heat carried within it instantly filled the entire space.

”Something’s wrong!”

John immediately sensed danger.

He kicked against the ground, using the recoil force to fly backward.

Following the opening between the dragon’s jaws, he escaped from the skull and landed safely outside.

The next moment.

BOOM!

The enormous dark golden dragon skull at the center of the two-hundred-meter skeleton exploded!

Countless fragments of bone scattered through the sky.

Dense purple mist covered everything, turning the entire basin’s sky into a sea of violet clouds.

The originally dim surroundings were dyed into a strange pure purple.

Within the swirling mist, a gigantic shadow slowly stretched out from the ruins.

It covered half the sky.

ROAR!

A deep dragon roar exploded through the void like a sonic blast!

A massive stream of deep-purple dragon flames shot into the sky.

Above, the flames burned a hole through the thick clouds.

The terrifying heat distorted the surrounding air.

The mist slowly dispersed.

The true appearance of the dragon was revealed.

It was an adult dragon.

Its body length exceeded one hundred meters.

Its entire body was covered in incredibly tough scales resembling carved purple crystal.

The edges of every scale carried a dark golden metallic shine.

Its wings were enormous and heavy.

Sharp bone spikes covered their edges.

A pair of dark golden horns curved backward from its forehead.

Four massive claws pressed against the earth.

With every breath, faint purple flames escaped from its mouth.

Standing above the battlefield, it looked down upon the world.

Its golden vertical pupils carried an ancient and emotionless majesty.

Then—

Under John’s gaze, the gigantic dragon body began shrinking inward.

Dense purple flames completely surrounded it.

The hundred-meter-long body rapidly contracted.

Eventually, it condensed into a slender humanoid figure.

The purple flames faded away.

A woman wearing dark-purple dragon-scale light armor slowly descended from the sky.

She had long silver-white hair flowing like a waterfall.

Two delicate dark golden dragon horns grew diagonally from the top of her head.

Her facial features were cold and exquisite.

Her skin was pale with a healthy glow.

Her eyes were pure dark golden vertical pupils.

Standing there, she radiated a sacred yet distant aura that kept everyone away.

Tap.

Her leather boots landed on the shattered stones with a crisp sound.

The woman walked to within half a meter of John.

She dropped to one knee.

Her right hand pressed against the dragon-scale armor over her chest.

She lowered her head in respect.

”Ophelia of the Primordial Ancient Dragon bloodline, reporting to you, my Lord.”

Her voice was as cold and clear as ice striking a spring.

There was not the slightest trace of emotion.

John raised his hand and tapped the floating system panel in front of him.