208: Chapter 208 The Dragon Slayer Becomes the Dragon

With a dull mechanical roar, a brand-new throne slowly rose from the dark floor.

It was entirely crafted from some unknown black crystal, resembling the deepest night sky, yet its surface flowed with nebula-like dark purple radiance.

The throne's backrest was extremely high, and the apex was carved with a ferocious yet majestic relief of a crown.

The armrests were two coiled skeletal dragons, their heads thrust forward, their hollow eye sockets seeming to burn with nether fire.

Most crucially, its size had finally returned to 'normal.'

No longer the three-to-four-meter-tall bench from before, the seat was only about half a meter high and one meter wide.

"That's more like it," Chen You muttered internally.

Now this looked like a proper throne.

As a holder of a Mythic Quest, this was clearly specially prepared for him, the new King.

It seemed this System also wanted to improve.

He stepped forward slowly, each step carrying a trace of doubt and anticipation.

What would happen if he sat down?

Would it directly unlock a hidden skill?

Or would his soul be eroded, turning him into some kind of 'Filial Son'?

He finally reached the throne, took a deep breath, cast aside the Distractions (miscellaneous thoughts) in his mind, and then—

He plopped down onto it.

There was none of the expected dizzying rotation, brilliant golden light, or the sound of the Great Dao resonating...

The throne was very comfortable, its touch cool yet carrying a hint of warmth, like some kind of warm jade.

And then... that was it.

One second, two seconds, ten seconds passed.

The great hall was deathly silent.

Chen You blinked, then turned to look at Shadow Monarch Dai, who stood respectfully beside him like a statue.

He couldn't help but break the awkward silence.

"And then?"

Shadow Monarch Dai's massive body trembled slightly, as if awakened from some programmed wait.

The two crimson lights of his eyes flickered once, and he spoke in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, please put on your crown."

Shadow Monarch Dai's voice carried a sense of ritual, and he began to recite with measured cadence.

"Upon wearing the crown, you shall no longer be a mortal, and the mortal world's..."

Chen You raised an eyebrow and immediately interrupted, "Stop, stop, stop! Why does this dialogue sound so familiar?"

He couldn't help but roll his eyes internally.

"I say, Xiao Dai, where did you copy this from? Did you pay the royalties? What if someone sues you?"

Shadow Monarch Dai choked slightly, and his massive body stiffened for a moment.

"Your Majesty, please see clearly! This... this is the narration granted to this subordinate by the System, not something this subordinate fabricated!"

There was a hint of grievance in his tone.

"This subordinate also feels that these words do not match Your Majesty's noble status; they are too... cliché."

"Alright, alright, you hold your tongue for now," Chen You waved his hand, signaling him to be quiet.

He picked up the shadow crown; the cool touch of the metal seemed to carry a heavy power.

Taking another deep breath, he hesitated no longer and slowly placed the crown upon his head.

Instantly, a cold and majestic aura spread out from Chen You in all directions!

The entire Ultimate Hall trembled violently. Above the dome, countless intricate runes were instantly illuminated, outlining an ancient and mysterious celestial map.

Beneath the celestial map, dense shadow energy surged out from the depths of the hall like a tide, converging upon Chen You.

Black mist billowed up!

These shadow energies did not spread chaotically but, as if possessing life, rapidly condensed and shaped themselves onto him.

First, they covered his original robes, then the shoulder guards, chest plate, arm guards, and leg armor.

Finally, even his head was enveloped by a helmet featuring a ferocious faceplate.

In just three seconds, a set of sleek, powerful-looking pitch-black full-body armor materialized on Chen You.

Fine purple electrical currents faintly flowed across the armor, as if it could unleash world-destroying power at any moment.

The faceplate completely concealed his face, leaving only a pair of eyes, like two deep stars, emitting a soul-stirring, eerie light.

This wasn't putting on a crown; this was essentially a 'one-click equipment change'!

And it was the most top-tier Mythic set!

Chen You felt the surging power within his body and the seamless fit of the armor with his spiritual power.

He could even feel that the armor was an extension of his body; every joint was incredibly flexible, completely lacking the clumsiness of traditional armor.

Simultaneously, a system prompt, audible only to him, exploded in his mind like a thunderclap:

[Ding! Congratulations, you have successfully been crowned and officially become the 'Shadow Monarch'!]

[You have triggered a special event—[Ruling the World]! Please prepare!]

Ruling the World?

It sounded quite impressive.

"Is the real show finally starting?"

Chen You braced himself, expecting some major BOSS to appear, and prepared for battle.

The magnificent Ultimate Hall, the respectfully waiting Shadow Monarch Dai, and even the throne beneath him...

All instantly faded and blurred, eventually dissolving into a pure, dark background.

Immediately following this, a pale purple interface filled with a technological feel slowly unfolded before him.

At the very top of the interface was a title—[Monarch Incarnation].

Below the title was a 3D model identical to his current appearance.

Clad in dark mythic armor, wearing the crown, his eyes flickering with eerie light, looking majestic and imposing.

To the right of the model, rows upon rows of dense options and parameter bars were listed.

[Incarnation Form: Default (Shadow Monarch)]

[Aura Effect: (+)]

[Domain Effect: (+)]

[Body Scaling: (+)]

...

Chen You's eyelids twitched violently.

Good heavens! After all that buildup, this is what I get?

Isn't this just the legendary... character creation screen plus customization?

And one that comes with skin effects and exclusive skills!

He tentatively clicked the plus sign next to [Aura Effect].

"Swish!"

A drop-down menu popped out, dazzling in its variety.

[Aura Effect]:

1. [Nether Ghost Fire]: A purple flame aura generates beneath the feet, leaving behind brief trails of flame upon movement. Unlock Price: 1000 Gold Coins.

2. [Stellar Annihilation]: Fine stardust encircles the body, rotating slowly, full of mystery. Unlock Price: 1200 Gold Coins.

3. [Thunder Prison Dragon Roar]: Dark purple arcs of lightning occasionally flash around the body, faintly accompanied by the sound of a dragon's roar. Unlock Price: 1500 Gold Coins.

4. [Abyssal Gaze]: A massive, blurred single eye phantom occasionally appears behind the back, exuding immense pressure. Unlock Price: 2000 Gold Coins.

...

10. [Great Dao Annihilation]: As one walks, space ripples, as if the laws of all things retreat in deference. Unlock Price: 9999 Gold Coins.

Chen You: "..."

The corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily.

Good grief, so this is how you play!

He suppressed the urge to complain and clicked on [Domain Effect].

[Domain Effect]:

1. [Monarch's Majesty]: Hostile targets within the domain suffer a 15% suppression on all attributes. Unlock Price: 5000 Gold Coins.

2. [Shadow Forbidden Zone]: Teleportation-type skills are prohibited within the domain. Unlock Price: 8000 Gold Coins.

3. [Soul Withering]: Hostile targets within the domain continuously suffer soul damage, energy -5% per second. Unlock Price: 12000 Gold Coins.

...