A suffocating divine presence filled the throne room. The throats of several powerhouses dried up instantly as they looked toward the entrance, feeling the overwhelming aura of the being that had just walked in.
An ethereal beauty stepped inside as if a celestial being had descended from the heavens to walk on mortal soil. The light stones in the hall flickered violently, and every step she took caused the ambient mana to shudder as though the world itself was trembling under her feet.
Her skin was jade white and flawless. Her eyes were covered with a long cloth, yet even without sight her steps were steady, accurate, and silent, as if she could see every corner of the hall perfectly.
A sweet voice, dripping like honey yet carrying an imposing chill, filled the room.
"I hope His Majesty has a good enough reason for summoning me and disturbing my century-long meditation."
The emperor's dominating presence vanished instantly. His fingers trembled slightly as he forced himself to sit straight. Then he stood up from the throne and bowed deeply to the woman in front of him.
"O Divine Seer… This land needs your guidance again. A mysterious phenomenon happened across the world."
His voice wavered despite his effort to sound composed.
"Oh? Then what sort of mysterious incident has shaken you so badly, O great emperor?" The woman asked with a gentle smile, though her tone carried a clear sense of authority.
Since the emperor had already stood, all ministers, generals, and officials followed, bowing toward her in respect. They all knew who she was, what she represented, and what her presence meant. She had lived long enough to see the rise and fall of countless lineages. Her predictions had saved nations and doomed others. Even the proudest warriors felt like frightened children in front of her.
Everyone inside the hall took carefully measured breaths as if not to disturb the air she walked in.
Meanwhile, Emperor Dalton explained everything that had transpired, starting with the Bloody Tears incident and ending with the sudden appearance of the sun in the night sky.
The Divine Seer listened with an expression that was calm but unreadable.
"Oh, the sun rising in the middle of the night… abyssal beings invading… quite interesting. Seems like this world really is falling apart."
She said it with a smile, yet her tone was grim enough to drain the color from everyone's faces.
"Alright," she said casually, "I'll look into it right now."
The emperor immediately stepped forward to offer her a seat, but before he could raise his hand,
She vanished as if she had never existed in the first place.
The emperor froze with his arm half raised. He slowly looked at his ministers to ask what happened, but all of them were staring behind him with pale faces.
Dalton turned around quickly.
His throne was occupied. The Divine Seer sat on it in complete silence.
A lesser man would have been furious; a prideful ruler would have seen it as disrespect.
But Emperor Dalton was not foolish.
He lowered his head immediately and stepped to the side without speaking. Everyone present held their breath as the Divine Seer began her divination.
Several seconds later, her lips parted.
"The Bloody Tears incident was planned by the demonic cults decades ago," she said slowly. "They moved in the shadows, preparing for this attack far earlier than any of you even suspected. They infiltrated your ranks and tricked everyone here."
The hall trembled.
"They managed to sneak under your noses because the people working under you have long become complacent due to their positions of power. Tch… even dogs are better. At least they understand loyalty."
Her words were like knives piercing the pride of the strongest people in the empire. The faces of everyone present were flushed with shame. Sweat dripped down their necks as no one could speak back.
They all knew she was right.
Emperor Dalton clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. Humiliation washed over him like a tide. A massacre had been planned under his rule, on his land, without him even sensing a single trace of danger. This was the greatest stain on his reputation, and in the future it would become a stain on his legacy. He silently swore that after this, he would rip apart those who caused him to experience such humiliation.
The Divine Seer observed the reactions of everyone present and continued.
"Thanks to Sword Saint Klaus, the cults failed to complete their sacrificial ritual. Otherwise, a Demon Lord-level being could have been summoned that day. If that had happened, the Riverdale Empire would definitely have fallen into the ravages of war."
Her voice grew colder.
"Under pressure from the demon army and the surrounding empires, the Dalton lineage would have been wiped out."
The moment those words reached him, Emperor Dalton's heart shook violently. His mind went blank. A metallic taste filled his mouth.
He vomited blood on the spot.
The hall erupted in chaos for a moment as ministers rushed to help him, but the emperor quickly straightened, wiping his mouth harshly.
"I will rectify my mistakes, Ancestor," he said, bowing deeply to the woman on the throne. He spoke like a beast finally acknowledging its master, fierce yet submissive.
His bloodshot eyes scanned his ministers with a murderous glare. Even without speaking, everyone in the room understood what awaited them once this meeting ended.
Heads would roll. Families would fall, and chaos would sweep through the empire.
Meanwhile, the Divine Seer leaned slightly forward and tapped her fingers against the arm of the throne.
"Now, I will look into the phenomena of this night."
Her eyes closed again behind the blindfold.
Silence descended across the hall again.
Time passed slowly. Every second felt like a drop of water falling into a still lake.
Suddenly, her eyelids twitched. An expression of genuine shock appeared on her face, the first time in centuries that anyone had seen her lose composure.
"A divine physique…" she whispered. Her voice was soft, but it struck the room like thunder.
She lifted her head toward the emperor.
"A divine physique holder has awakened," she said. "I do not know his name. I do not know what type of physique it is. But I know one thing with full certainty."
She paused.
Everyone leaned forward unconsciously.
"This era is about to change. If you wish for the Riverdale Empire to survive, you must cling tightly to that person's legs. Do not let go, no matter what."
Her words were terrifying.
Not because of the divine physique, but because of the warning.
"If the empire fails to gain this person's goodwill, then Riverdale will not survive the coming era," she added.
Before leaving, she gave one final revelation.
"The divine physique holder is somewhere within the Riverdale Empire. That is all I can see. The rest is hidden behind the glare of the sun."
Her figure slowly faded, as if melting into the air, leaving only an echoing voice behind.
"I will personally attend the World Academy Trials at the end of this year."
And then she was gone. Her revelations were few, but their impact felt like a tidal wave crashing through the hearts of everyone present.
The throne hall was now filled with suffocating tension, fear, and a desperate emperor who now understood that his peaceful days were about to be over.
Dalton clenched his teeth together; he needed to find that person no matter what.
Immediately he barked to everyone, "Bring the names and information of every child who was supposed to be awakened today."
From his shadows, countless wisps of energies moved to fulfill their master's wishes.
And that person was currently lying unconscious in a small shop in the poorest district of the capital.