Chapter 269: Ancient Flame Archive

Chapter 269: Ancient Flame ArchiveMorrak glanced nervously at Apollo. "This is it. The transfer portals are always guarded like this. But as long as we pay the fee and follow the protocol, they won’t bother us."

"Good," Apollo said, his voice calm but cold. He adjusted the Shifter Mask subtly; its aura fluctuated faintly as it strengthened his disguise. "Let’s not give them a reason to."

The duo approached one of the portal queues, where a flame-robed official was handling payments and verifying travellers. The closer they got, the more Apollo felt the weight of the stares around him.

He was an outsider here, so even though he believed in the effectiveness of the mask, it still made him a bit anxious deep down. He felt his presence radiated a subtle difference, something these flame-born beings might eventually pick up on if he lingered too long.

Morrak stepped forward when it was their turn, handing over another pouch of flame stones. "Two travellers to Emberheart City’s inner district," he said, his tone steady, though his shoulders were tense.

The flame-robed official looked at them for a moment, his gaze lingering on Apollo. "And this one, who is he?" he said, gesturing toward Apollo.

"He’s with me, my distant cousin," Morrak replied quickly, his voice firm.

The official’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t press further. Instead, he accepted the payment and waved them toward the portal. "Step through. And don’t cause trouble."

Without saying anything more, both of them quickly came to the portal, where quite a lot of people were steadily moving ahead and entering.

The two stepped into the swirling flames of the portal, the heat washing over them like a wave. As the fiery energy enveloped them, the city around them blurred as space around them twisted and disappeared, replaced by the brilliant light of the transfer tunnel.

On the other side awaited Emberheart City’s inner district—and whatever challenges lay ahead.

Szzz Szzz

Both of them seemed to walk through a large tunnel, and when they came out, the view had completely changed, as they were now standing on a massive stage covered by a few dozen portals from all across the Black Flame Sovereign realm.

The air was thick with palpable energy, an oppressive yet intoxicating mixture of countless fire laws interwoven into the very layers of this place. The heat here was alive, crackling faintly in the background like the breath of an ancient beast.

The sky above was an endless canvas of ember and ash, with rivers of molten fire coursing through the distant horizon like veins of a living entity.

He had finally arrived at the centre of the realm that was the heart of it. The mysterious aura of flames and different fires was so intense that even when he didn’t try, he naturally started to understand the law of fire bit by bit.

And according to the speed, it improved in a week or two on its own; he should be able to understand 30% or more of the fire law if he learned from the beginning, which frankly was a mind-boggling phenomenon.

Morrak turned to him, his voice subdued but laced with awe. "Welcome to Emberheart City’s inner district," he said, gesturing around. "This is the Sovereign’s heart, where even the air is filled with the flames of the Black Flame Sovereign’s legacy."

Apollo took a deep breath, letting the fiery aura swirl through his senses. The intensity of this place was undeniable.

But his thoughts were not entirely focused on the grandeur of the city or the rapid improvement of his fire law comprehension. His eyes scanned the massive arena with precision, cataloguing every detail.

Large groups of flame-clad warriors and officials moved about with purpose, some escorting travellers, others monitoring the portals. Alien figures of various clans gathered in groups, each radiating a different kind of fire-based aura, their conversations blending into the ambient crackle of flames.

"This place... it’s crawling with powerhouses," he muttered under his breath, his tone a mixture of curiosity and caution. As he can sense the presence of several beings whose strength surpassed Morrak’s and even his own. Though his disguise remained intact, he knew better than to underestimate anyone here.

But he didn’t know what to do—he had no idea where to start. Still, he needed to try something. From what he’d known, something terrible was about to happen to this realm.

According to Morrak, there is a legend that the Black Flame Sovereign still lived at the centre of the city, and finding him might be the only chance to stop the impending tragedy. If he could warn him in time, perhaps disaster could be averted.

As alone with his strength, it is practically impossible; he cannot even defeat stronger guards here; forget about saving the Black Flame Sovereign and this realm.

Apollo glanced at Morrak, who was walking with stiff shoulders, clearly aware of the perilous path they were treading. "You said the Black Flame Sovereign still resides at the centre of the city. How certain are you of that?"

Morrak hesitated, his lips pressing into a thin line. "It’s... just a legend," he admitted reluctantly. "No one has seen the Sovereign in eons. Some say he slumbers; others that he went to travel to different planes and dimensions. But if there’s even a chance he’s here, then he had to be in this city."

He exhaled, with his icy demeanour masking his thoughts. "A chance," he murmured. Not much to go on, but it’s all he has. If the Sovereign is truly at the heart of this realm, then that’s where he needs to go.

Morrak stopped abruptly, turning to face Apollo. His voice dropped to a whisper. "You don’t understand. It isn’t like anybody can walk through there. It’s the centre of the entire dimension; it is the Sovereign’s Forbidden Flame Palace. It’s protected by layers of unimaginable enchantments and the most powerful guards in the realm."

"Maybe only the three great flame lords have enough authority to go there or meet the father of all flames."

He was also stumped after hearing this as even if he met them it was still a problem. It isn’t like he can meet the three great flame lords and say, ’I am from the future, and you all are going to get fucked, you sovereign, and this dimension is at its end. So, be prepared, and thank you for such a great talk.’ And then they will let him leave with a great laugh.

Like in fucking hell is this kind of shit ever going to happen? Not to mention he didn’t think it would be easy to see the great three lords.

Morrak gave him a thoughtful look. "They are the direct descendants of the Black Flame Sovereign, wielding his essence in their flames. Their authority is absolute, and their strength is unmatched. If anyone could gain an audience with the Sovereign—or even approach the palace—it would be them."

"Okay then, tell me how I can meet them." He asked Morrak after thinking for a moment, as he was really out of other options, he could not force his way through the Flame Palace, as security is too strict for him to pass without others noticing.

He had to go through a formal way because of his current weak strength. And hope that he would somehow make the three great Flame Lords agree with him. He also needed a great story to tell, but first, he needed to meet them.

Morrak hesitated, scratching his chin nervously. "Meeting the three great Flame Lords isn’t something you can just... plan. They don’t grant audiences to just anyone. Even among our kind, only the most powerful or influential ever get close to them. For someone like you..." He trailed off, clearly reluctant to continue.

Apollo’s eyes narrowed. "Spit it out, Morrak. I don’t have time for sugar-coating."

Morrak said with a heavy voice. "There are two ways to meet them. The first is to prove your worth in the Ember Trials. It’s an ancient competition held in Emberheart City. If you make it far enough, it might attract their attention—or at least the attention of someone in their circles. But..."

His expression darkened. "The trials are brutal. Only the strongest survive, and outsiders have never been allowed to participate. You’d need someone with influence to even get you in."

He raised an eyebrow. "And the second option?"

"The second option is more dangerous. As in countless years of history, only a few chosen have ever been successful in it. All those people can be counted on your hands." Morrak said after thinking seriously, as he didn’t want to lie to him, as his life was in his hands.

"Oh, tell me what it is," Apollo said as it seemed to pique his interest.

"There is an Ancient Flame Archive created by the great sovereign himself, which not only contains the countless flames from countless dimensions but also has a legacy left by the great sovereign."

"But to get those unimaginable treasures and legacy, they needed to go through the dangers of the Ancient Flame Archive, which not only holds opportunities but also unimaginable horrors."