The moment he donned the Battle Armor, Raylo felt a warm power envelop his entire body, and both his Spiritual Power and stamina seemed to surge.

Though the two pieces of equipment had yet to reach the level of a Divine Artifact, they were just a step below it—top-tier Magic Equipment.

Most of the Magic Equipment in the tomb had failed to withstand the corrosion of a millennium, but these two pieces worn by the Sun King Amun Ra had remained pristine, a testament to their extraordinary quality.

Master Barnaby watched from the side, his eyes burning with envy.

"This suit of Battle Armor not only has astonishing defensive power, but it also automatically adapts to the wearer’s body and is enchanted with the permanent Magic ’Sunlight Blessing,’ which constantly restores the wearer’s stamina and Spiritual Power. Raylo, my boy, you’ve really struck it rich this time!"

Raylo felt the power surging within him, a slight smile playing on his lips.

’A Tier Five Puppet, top-tier Magic Equipment, and a path for Sun’s Domain evolution...’

’The rewards from this trip to the millennium-old tomb have far exceeded my expectations.’

「Half a month after the expedition to the tomb, a scene of thriving prosperity unfolded everywhere in Black Stone Territory.」

The Valen Family’s smelting estate had become the busiest place in the entire Black Stone Territory.

Towering melting furnaces burned day and night, their blazing flames casting a dark red glow across the sky. The dull drone of bellows and the crisp clang of hammers interwove, composing a symphony of wealth.

The ancient, decaying armor and weapons brought back from the millennium-old tomb might look like a pile of useless scrap to a Mortal, but to the discerning eyes of blacksmiths and smelters, they were treasures buried beneath the dust of ages.

They were sorted and fed into the melting furnaces. Under the scorching Blazing Fire, they shed a millennium of rust, transforming back into pools of liquid metal that shimmered with a captivating luster.

Mithril, Refined Gold, Cold Iron, Star Steel...

These High Level metals, fantastically expensive in the outside world, were refined here and cast into standard ingots. Stacked neatly in the warehouse, they reflected the torchlight with an alluring gleam.

Raylo stood on a high platform overlooking the estate, gazing down at the bustling scene below.

"Well done."

Raylo glanced at the new batch of Refined Gold Ingots in the warehouse and nodded in satisfaction.

’Not only can these metals be exchanged for a massive amount of Gold Coins, but they are also excellent materials for crafting high-quality equipment.’

"It is all thanks to your trust, my Lord."

Old Haman bowed respectfully.

Raylo’s gaze traveled past the bustling workshops toward the distant Knight training grounds.

’My territory is accumulating power at an astonishing rate, like a predator gathering its strength before the pounce.’

Over the past few days, the Golden Dragon Sun had also seemed unusually excited. His massive draconic form would fly off before dawn each day, only to return at nightfall.

He would occasionally let out a high-pitched draconic roar or two toward the sky, the sound filled with anticipation and the joy of an imminent breakthrough.

Raylo knew he was making smooth progress on the path to creating his own Domain.

As a Golden Dragon who had long since advanced to the Domain Level, Sun’s foundation was already profound. Once he found the right path, a breakthrough was a natural next step. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

During these peaceful days, news from the outside world continued to flow in, delivered by the Pegasus Knights.

"My Lord, this is the latest intelligence from the Jade Swamp."

A Pegasus Knight knelt on one knee, presenting a parchment scroll.

Raylo unfurled the Scroll and quickly scanned the information.

The war between the two warbands in the southern Jade Swamp and the Eternal Giant Turtle of the Black Water River was still ongoing.

Just recently, the Eternal Giant Turtle had suddenly stirred up monstrous waves, dragging thousands of the Demon Serpent’s Fangs to the riverbed. In the most direct and brutal fashion, it had turned them into a meal for the other Magical Beasts in the Black Water River.

Meanwhile, in the western part of the Jade Swamp, the Three-headed Snake Monster known as "Blood Throat" had recuperated, gathered its forces, and launched another fierce assault on the territory of its sworn enemy, the Black Dragon "Black King." It was attempting to reclaim an important stretch of occupied wetland in the west.

However, the outcome of the war was never in doubt. "Blood Throat" was once again beaten black and blue by "Black King," fleeing in disarray after leaving over a thousand corpses behind.

’Judging by the overall situation, as powerful as the Jade Swamp is, it’s surrounded by enemies on all sides.’

’The old turtle in the Black Water River, the Black Dragon in the west, and the Human Kingdom to the south—they all have significant friction with it.’

’Even the northern and eastern parts of the Jade Swamp, which I haven’t paid much attention to due to the distance, are likely rife with war and conflict right now.’

’In comparison, a "minor" Count like me, holed up in Black Stone Territory, has become the most inconspicuous player of all.’

’This feeling of being overlooked is exactly what I need right now.’

Time flowed by quietly during these peaceful and productive days.

「About half a month later, one afternoon.」

Raylo was in the square, supervising the Knights’ training.

Alex was shouting himself hoarse, berating the Earth Dragon Knights and ordering them to maintain their formation.

In the distance, the Mammoth Knights were practicing their charges.

Suddenly, the sky darkened. A Domain-Level pressure descended from above, and the air seemed to solidify in an instant, becoming scorching and heavy.

Everyone instinctively stopped what they were doing and looked up at the sky.

A massive, golden apparition tore through the clouds. It descended with incredible speed, like a falling sun, radiating an unstoppable momentum.

’It’s Sun!’

BOOM!

His hundred-meter-long draconic body landed heavily in the center of the square, and the resulting gale sent several of the closest Knights tumbling.

All eyes were fixed on the Golden Dragon, gazes filled with shock and awe.

Sun was completely different from his usual self.

Every one of his Dragon Scales seemed to be burning, shimmering with the luster of molten gold.

His golden, vertical pupils blazed with a will as fierce and scorching as the core of a star.

A pure, immense power, strong enough to incinerate all creation, surged and roared within him, threatening to burst forth at any moment.

"Raylo."

Sun spoke.

"Watch closely."

Before the words had even left his mouth, a golden Domain erupted from him, spreading out rapidly!

VMMM!

In Raylo’s perception, the world instantly transformed.

The crisp afternoon air instantly became scorching and viscous; every breath felt like swallowing molten iron.

Everything in sight was bathed in a brilliant golden hue. The stone slabs underfoot turned red-hot at a visible rate, emitting wisps of white smoke.

The sky vanished, the ground disappeared. In their place was a golden space that enveloped the entire square of Black Stone Castle.

At the center of this space hovered a massive, pulsating golden core—Sun’s draconic body.

Countless streams of golden energy, like rushing lava, surged from the core and flowed wantonly throughout the space, forming a grand and magnificent, yet utterly destructive... Melting Furnace!

The Solar Furnace!

This was Sun’s new Domain!

The Knights in the square below Tier Three had long since been forced to their knees by the oppressive power, unable to even dream of lifting their heads.

Relying on his willpower and the Fighting Spirit of an Earth Knight, Raylo barely remained on his feet. But even so, he could clearly feel his own Fighting Spirit being furiously suppressed and evaporated by the scorching power.

’"This... this is the true Domain Level..."’ Raylo’s mind reeled.

’Inside this "Solar Furnace," Sun is the one and only god.’

’He is the light, he is the heat, he is the Law that governs all.’

Unlike the Sun King Amun Ra, who created a sun to form his Domain, the Golden Dragon Sun’s own body was the incomparably powerful sun at the heart of his Sun Furnace Domain.

"How does it feel?"

Sun’s voice echoed throughout the Domain, tinged with a hint of showing off.

Sun also seemed to realize the considerable pressure his power was putting on his companions. With a mere thought, the scorching heat and oppressive weight that had enveloped Raylo and the Black Stone Knights vanished completely.