CHAPTER 295: SUCCESSION CEREMONY

...

Dotruu Kingdom, Princess Taff’s palace.

She stood by the window looking outside as small blood bats occasionally flew back, whispering in her ear.

"Strange, how has Blood Snake Princess vanished without a trace?"

Princess Taff’s brow furrowed. The ritual to summon the Blood Mother still lacked the most crucial vessel.

According to the Blood Mother’s guidance, Blood Snake Princess had something most suitable.

But before she could find a way to snag it from Blood Snake Princess, she discovered the woman was nowhere to be found.

"Did she sense danger and split early?"

Princess Taff considered this—it was very likely the reason.

"Pain in the ass. Need to find a new vessel."

Despite saying this, Princess Taff showed no sign of being bummed out. Her mouth twisted into a weird smile.

Suddenly with a tearing sound, one hand plunged directly into her own chest. Scalding blood slid down her snow-white skin, dripping to the floor.

The intense pain made Princess Taff laugh even more joyfully. She narrowed her eyes, then the next second—

Blood vessels burst as she tore out a crimson, beating heart.

Even without its host’s nourishment, the heart in Princess Taff’s hands stayed extremely vital—almost seeming alive.

"A vessel... nothing could be more suitable than this heart."

Princess Taff let out creepy laughter. The cavity in her chest stopped bleeding as if nothing had happened. Cradling her own heart, she slowly walked toward the palace depths.

...

...

The royal capital’s central square.

Tons of Dotruu nobles gathered with crowds of citizens watching from the perimeter—the first prince was about to receive the crown of the deceased old king, becoming the new ruler of the Dotruu Kingdom.

The ceremony was about to begin. Though First Prince Noo Dotruu appeared calm, a shadow of gloom never left his eyes.

His damned brother Boli Dotruu lurked like a sewer rat in the shadows, coveting the throne.

"Your Highness, it’s time!"

A confidant carefully reminded him. As grand drums sounded, the royal succession ceremony officially began!

First Prince Noo temporarily suppressed his inner gloom and strode toward the altar at the central square’s heart.

On the fancy altar sat a simply designed crown crafted entirely of gold, gleaming brilliantly in the sunlight.

Step by step, the first prince climbed the altar. Though he’d secretly worn it before, today felt completely different.

This was the symbol of Dotruu Kingdom’s royal authority. Once he finished the succession ceremony, he’d be the undisputed new king.

Then Boli Dotruu would be nothing but a sewer rat, no longer threatening the throne.

Just as First Prince Noo grabbed the crown, about to place it on his head—

Boom!

An attack from nowhere—a silver line flashed, and the next second the crown got knocked from the prince’s hands, clattering to the ground.

"Who dares?"

"How dare you sabotage the succession ceremony!"

"..."

The prince’s confidants immediately drew their swords in fury, battle energy surging as they pointed in all directions.

But the Dotruu nobles led by Sword Saint Levi whispered among themselves with strange expressions, seemingly discussing something without any intention of stepping in.

"Your Highness... the crown!"

A confidant ran to retrieve the fallen crown, but the prince’s expression was dark as thunder. The crown had been corroded by strange silver liquid, becoming murky and ruined.

"Come out! Boli!"

The prince erupted in fury, his murderous voice roaring out!

"Hahaha, dear brother, you’re still so easily pissed off!"

The crowd stirred as laughter came from midair.

Everyone looked up to see a strange silver liquid appear in the sky, writhing and transforming until it formed a suspended platform extending a stairway down to the altar.

On the suspended platform stood a group of mysterious figures in silver robes wearing smiling masks.

One of these mysterious figures removed his mask—it was the missing second prince!

The moment the second prince appeared, the first prince’s expression actually calmed, his mouth curving into a nasty smile.

"Brother, you’ve finally decided to crawl out!"

Hearing this, the second prince showed no anger. He slowly descended the aerial stairway, stepped onto the altar, met the first prince’s gaze, and said:

"Brother, your hostility toward me runs way too deep. Have you forgotten Father’s teachings?

The Dotruu Kingdom belongs to the Dotruu clan, not to the king alone."

While speaking, the second prince deliberately glanced toward the Dotruu nobles, most of whom were indeed from the Dotruu clan.

Of course, only the royal line could bear the Dotruu name, but even so, the second prince’s words stirred favor among most nobles.

"Bullshit!

The king bears responsibility for his people—the kingdom belongs to the king! How can royal authority be shared with others!"

The first prince’s battle energy surged, intense pressure stirring the very sky as he nearly touched the threshold of Sword Saint level!

These words made some Dotruu nobles frown while others completely changed their opinion of the first prince, suddenly sensing true kingly bearing.

For a moment, the Dotruu nobles were subtly divided into two factions as the atmosphere suddenly shifted...

The Sword Saint’s expression stayed unchanged—whoever held the throne, he would assist in governing the country.

However, his gaze fell on the mysterious group behind the second prince, his eyes grave.

These people’s auras were completely unfamiliar—definitely not from the royal capital, very likely outside forces. Especially their leader, from whom he could sense no aura at all, making the Sword Saint pretty wary.

"Brother, Father’s governing philosophy is rock solid!

I will never hand this country to a tyrant like you!"

The second prince spoke righteously. Though his strength was inferior to the first prince’s, he radiated dignity with no weak momentum!

Below, Dotruu nobles whispered:

"The first prince is indeed too much of a hardass. If the gentle second prince took the throne, it would surely benefit the country."

"No, I believe only the strong first prince can lead the Dotruu Kingdom to prosperity!"

"I support the second prince. With the country in chaos, we urgently need a stable king!"

"Wrong! The old king got assassinated by the Shadow Realm, scaring the hell out of the people. The new king has gotta be tough enough to keep troublemakers and neighboring countries’ schemes in check—clearly the first prince is more suitable."

The Dotruu nobles argued fiercely, stirring the watching citizens to express support for their chosen sides.

In the crowd, a group conversed secretly:

"Those mysterious figures are Mercury Cult members. Their leader is most likely the Mercury Archbishop."

"Then what are we waiting for? I’ll wipe out these human traitors!"

A woman with a fiery temper seemed to have flames for eyebrows beneath her black robe.

"Wait, the situation is changing!"

A man noticed something about the first prince’s shadow.