Chapter 1762: Succession [3]

It was not a projection of him, but the Dragon Emperor himself.

He did not try to hide his form. As such, he was large enough to cover the whole kingdom with his wings alone.

He stood upright, using his wings to keep himself hovering in the sky. With his size, even those at the very edges of the kingdom could see him.

"My people...you may not recognize me as it has been many years since I have shown my face to the public."

He started with quite a downplaying statement. Everyone knew what the draconic appearance of the Emperor was even if they hadn't seen it in person.

Even if they hadn't, his face had been broadcasted across the kingdom just some weeks ago, so how could they forget?

Some people were still trying to find the crown he told them to chase, but his appearance now made it clear that it had already been claimed.

"Many of you may be wondering why I have appeared. In part, it is indeed to acknowledge the successor who has gained the approval of the Emperor's crown. However, I have also come to reveal a truth to you all, a truth that has been kept hidden for dozens of millions of years."

Zenith had three objectives in his appearance. The first was to calm the public and end the ongoing war. The second was to bring August to the podium and have him recognized by the kingdom as its future ruler, and the third...

The third was to apologize with all of his heart and tell the world about what had been kept in the shadows for so long.

"Dragons were never meant to be lowly beings. Dragons were never meant to have such a strict system that kept us contained within the same bubble that humans and other races occupy. By nature, we are independent, but in the past, the Dragon Emperors had a dream of bringing our kind together and creating a haven for it to thrive."

"The First Dragon Emperor followed this ideology, and many who came after him, such as Emperor Qinglong who has been forgotten in history, attempted to do the same."

"Unfortunately, power is a corrupting force. While many Emperors did try to lead this kingdom and create the utopia it was meant to be, the majority decided to instead lead it into ruin."

As the common people watched, the Dragon Emperor told them everything.

He revealed the schemes of the Holy Dragons and the Holy Clans. He revealed how every good emperor was destroyed and defamed, and he revealed how the people were oppressed until their bloodlines thinned into nothing.

Everything that had ever been done, every bit of misconstrued history was being rewritten as it was always meant to be in his speech. It was to the extent that the common people couldn't even be angry.

They listened silently as they learned the history of Arulion. They scorned the Holy Clans in their minds and pitied the people who tried to do good. They wondered why it was being revealed now and what it meant for their future.

Zenith knew that giving them too much information was never a good thing. If they wanted to learn, then he just needed to make the information easily accessible. At this moment, he only told them what they needed to know so as not to overwhelm them with too much world-shattering knowledge.

"...the forsaken dragons who invaded our home; even they are nothing more than victims of the Holy Clans, forced to act on an instinct placed in their body without consent."

"I do not mean to defend them, nor do I mean to downplay their sins. However, you all must know the truth before deciding on their punishment."

It was something that needed to be mentioned, but not something that needed to be focused on. The Dragon Emperor continued his speech, saying a few more things before bringing it to a conclusion.

"Now, along with the nobles and the corrupt authorities of our dear kingdom, the Holy Clans have also been quelled. There will no longer be such a thing as oppression in Arulion! Under my reign as long as it will last, under the reign of those who will follow me, there will only be prosperity for dragons!"

"I have failed you as an Emperor, for I was suppressed by the Holy Clans and forced to watch as you all suffered in silence. I know that I cannot make up for my wrongdoings through just a simple gesture, but I would still like to offer an apology."

The Dragon Emperor looked to his side, a gesture that went unnoticed by the masses who watched him.

However, by the time his head turned back to face them, energy was already spreading through the kingdom.

The dragon people looked down at their own bodies in wonder. The wounds they'd accumulated, both new and old, regardless of severity, healed as if by a miracle of the heavens.

They couldn't comprehend how their Emperor managed to do something so miraculous, but the gesture definitely helped cement his position in their hearts.

Even the most average individual understood that such power could not be displayed without sacrifice. If he was willing to take that risk for their sake, why would he lie to them? Why would he mislead them?

The Dragon Emperor may not have been able to support them, but they were living so deeply in oppression that they didn't realize what it felt like until they gained bloodlines of their own.

Now that he had returned with such a promise, they were willing to wait and see how he delivered on his claims.

"I am truly sorry," Zenith said sincerely.

"From this point forth, I will only be your Emperor in name. I will dedicate the rest of my life to training the boy who has become my successor, the descendant of the 5th Dragon Emperor, the Azure Dragon Emperor, August Void."

A projection appeared in front of the world. They saw a stage that was empty at first, but within a few moments, a blue light of transportation brought a group of people to stand on it.

The boy at their head, with dark blue hair and eyes, looked around in slight confusion. He was teleported in front of a crowd that had gathered around the Dragon Emperor's body. At first, he didn't know how to react, but he was lucky enough to hear Zenith's final words as he arrived.

He firmed his expression and looked into the crowd.

He could hear their cheers clearly. They were saying his name, screaming it with hope for the future he would bring them.

Judging from their expressions, the words that needed to be said had already been spoken. There was nothing left for August to do but greet them.

He smiled as he felt their embrace. The feeling that ran hot through the crowd, the feeling of finally having a chance, was intoxicating.

August had big dreams for the dragon kingdom. He always did, from the moment he was old enough to choose his path.

He was always looking for ways to improve Arulion, so he knew exactly what to do when he became the Emperor.

His only worry was that the people weren't ready for change.

Now, there was much he didn't understand, August was still unaware of the fact that the Holy Clans had been taken care of.

However, seeing the spirit his future people possessed, his final worry disappeared.

This was a people ready for change, a people who would actively contribute to the benefit of their kingdom.

As such, there was only one thing for him to do.

August bowed, the smile never leaving his face.

After everything he and his friends had been through, it was an extremely refreshing feeling to come back to a kingdom at peace.

Only...

It couldn't be truly appreciated until they learned how it was able to reach this point.