Chapter 616:The Master Rage Baiter
Chapter 616: 616:The Master Rage Baiter
Eventually Duke Lancelot continued speaking again.
"This war made him believe he had finally found a chance to ascend higher because the massive conflict, endless death, and shifting fate of nations seemed to create some sort of opportunity for him."
"But as time passed, the results he wanted never came."
"And when he noticed the situation beginning to shift unexpectedly because of the peace negotiations and other changing factors... he finally decided to interfere personally."
Ethan silently listened while feeling a strange heaviness settle inside his chest.
Then Duke Lancelot slowly lifted his eyes toward him again.
"And the result..." he muttered quietly.
"He died."
The room became completely silent afterward.
Ethan slowly clicked his tongue in annoyance while irritation visibly appeared on his face because instead of feeling shocked or fearful after hearing the truth, what he honestly felt most right now was disgust.
That man had dragged countless innocent people into chaos and death for the sake of his own ambitions.
And after all of that destruction.He still failed completely.
At the very least you could have fun,you useless old prick.
"Tsk..." Ethan clicked his tongue once more while unable to hide the disdain in his eyes.
Duke Lancelot noticed immediately and chuckled faintly.
"You seem to hate him quite a bit," he remarked calmly.
Ethan immediately scowled openly.
"So what if I hate him?" he replied bluntly. "Honestly speaking, it’s good that he died because if I ever reach that stage one day, I probably would’ve beaten the hell out of him myself."
Duke Lancelot suddenly laughed softly after hearing that.
"I truly wish you could," he replied while shaking his head slightly.
Then his expression gradually dimmed again.
"In fact, the reason I eventually retired from most political struggles and large-scale warfare was because I simply couldn’t continue dealing with people like them anymore."
His eyes slowly narrowed.
"I already reached the Transcendent Realm long ago, and yet even after all these years, I still cannot see any clear sign of taking another step forward because my strength has completely stagnated."
Those words immediately created ripples inside Ethan’s heart because he himself had already started experiencing similar problems recently.
In the past, even a hundred years worth of cultivation insight was enough for him to break through one or two minor realms relatively smoothly.
But now...
Even one thousand years of accumulation barely produced noticeable improvement anymore.
And if even he, someone possessing the system itself, was beginning to face such terrifying stagnation...
Then what about everyone else?
Just imagining it alone made Ethan feel uneasy.
Duke Lancelot slowly smiled bitterly before continuing.
"The reason royal families maintain control over their Empires for centuries without losing their thrones is actually very simple."
"They are protected by Ascension Realm experts standing behind them."
His gaze gradually turned deeper.
"And under absolute power like that... tell me honestly, who would even dare try changing the throne?"
Duke Lancelot remained seated quietly in his chair while staring toward the distant window for a long moment, and the faint sunlight entering through the glass reflected across his aging face, making him appear far more tired than usual as if he was recalling memories he rarely liked talking about.
After remaining silent for several moments, he finally spoke again.
"Reaching that realm is not easy," he said slowly while interlocking his fingers together. "And crossing beyond it is even closer to impossible."
His voice carried a faint bitterness that Ethan immediately noticed.
"People often talk about talent, opportunities, destiny, bloodlines, and natural gifts as if those things alone are enough to make someone powerful, but once you reach the higher realms, you slowly begin to understand that all of those things become secondary."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"At the highest levels, the thing that truly matters is resources."
His eyes slowly narrowed.
"Without sufficient resources, how can anyone continue moving forward? How can someone maintain their cultivation? How can they comprehend higher laws, refine stronger bodies, nurture stronger souls, and continue walking toward the peak?"
The room became quiet as Ethan listened carefully.
Duke Lancelot slowly leaned back into his chair.
"An Ascension Realm expert consumes terrifying amounts of resources just to maintain their growth, and if they wish to advance even further, the amount required becomes almost unimaginable."
He shook his head lightly.
"And who controls the largest amount of resources in the world?"
"The Empires."
His voice became firm.
"That is why the royal families remain powerful for centuries without anyone being able to easily shake their foundations because behind every major Empire stands an Ascension Realm expert, and behind every Ascension Realm expert stands the resources of an entire nation."
He slowly tapped the armrest.
"As long as that expert remains alive, the throne remains stable because no matter how much chaos appears beneath them, no matter how many internal struggles occur, one absolute powerhouse is often enough to suppress everything."
Then his expression darkened.
"But..."
"The Arcadia Empire lost that protection."
The room fell silent again.
"The moment the Ascension Realm expert died, Arcadia’s greatest shield vanished."
Duke Lancelot slowly exhaled.
"And without that shield, the Empire immediately became vulnerable."
"The surrounding Empires saw weakness."
"They saw an opportunity."
"And more importantly, they saw a chance that might never appear again in their lifetimes."
His gaze turned colder.
"That is why they moved."
Ethan frowned deeply while processing everything.
Then after thinking for a moment, he asked another question.
"Is that the only reason?"
"Nah," Duke Lancelot replied immediately while waving his hand dismissively.
"There are far more reasons than that."
A faint sneer appeared on his face.
"It’s just that the late Ascension Realm expert was troublesome."
"It won’t be wrong to say that he is a son of bitch."Lancelot cursed hatefully.
"He spent decades hiding behind the scenes while carrying out all kinds of schemes, political manipulations, secret operations, and shady plans that repeatedly provoked the surrounding powers."The Duke shook his head.
"How can one man simply pull so much hate?" Ethan asked in stupor, his brows knitting together in disbelief as he looked at Duke Lancelot.