On the roadside, the golden Ancient Saint Stone Slab depicted images of various Lizardman Deities, whose appearances resembled Demon Toads, yet they clearly possessed powerful Martial Valor. The leading deity was called the Sun God Kotege, a god bathed in Radiance, symbolizing the sun or powers as mighty as the sun’s brilliance, and the main god of the Lizardmen’s beliefs.

There was also the Snake God Sotigo, a new god born from the Lizardmen and Skaven Ratmen’s millennium-long war, representing bloodshed and vengeance, with a determination to destroy the Great Horned Rat.

Fugen’s white hair moved without wind, and he suddenly felt the Snake God on the stone slab staring at him, a deep sense of recognition and joy. Yet when he tried to see Sotigo’s image clearly, it seemed to disappear.

This feeling of being chosen...

The door of the secret chamber was opened, revealing a vertical ascending passage. Mazda Moody dismissed the Temple Guards who intended to protect him; he turned around, signaling the Emperor and Fugen to come before the pedestal.

On the pedestal sat a corpse that had long passed away.

Venerable Crok, Guardian of Itaza, the first Demon Toad Priest of the Lizardmen, the most powerful and greatest Demon Toad Priest. He aided the Ancient Saints in reshaping the world, building the poles’ teleportation gates (later known as the Chaotic Wilderness), and taught the Elves to learn Magic. His mission was said to witness the final moment of the universe. Crok left behind the most tragic sacrifice during the Great Calamity, but his undying soul remained in the world, becoming the first Holy Relic Priest.

Crok’s face was hidden by a Golden Burial Mask, unable to communicate, but his soul could interact with the material world, his power could vibrate the air, creating sounds akin to distant echoes. Though the glory of his former peak had fallen, the remaining remnants in the wind could still destroy his enemies. In times of crisis, his soul would return to the real world within the undying will of his master, using its power to help the Lizardmen claim yet another victory.

After the defense of Itaza concluded with Crok’s grand sacrifice, the Lizardmen diligently collected every small fragment of remains, reverently piecing them together and wrapping them with resin-soaked paper.

Thus, the first Lizardman Holy Relic Priest was born, and many deceased Demon Toads were treated similarly. The Lizardmen discovered these Demon Toads were so powerful that even after physical death, their souls remained in the world, and these ancient Holy Artifacts would once again devise a great plan to complete the world.

This mummy quietly sat at the very top of the Great Pyramid, seemingly entirely dead, dead in every sense, yet within his decaying flesh still resided his soul, his spirit continued to watch this world.

He had watched the Ancient Saints create entirely new races, he had watched the Ancient Saints establish countless glorious cities in Lustria, he had watched dozens of Chaos Legions and hundreds of Chaos Great Demons besiege Itaza, and he would watch the world’s destruction. When the final moment comes, Crok’s unyielding will and undying soul will exhaust his last dwindling power to protect the creations of the Ancient Saints.

The Emperor gently nodded, he could sense similar sacrifice emanating from the mummy; these noble beings sacrificed everything without hesitation just for guardianship, just like him.

The Master of Humans’ cold heart would not be moved by Crok’s sacrifice, yet he still acknowledged Crok’s dedication, prompting him to initiate his action.

Golden Radiance began to emanate from the Master of Humans, his supreme power completely enveloped the secret chamber atop the pyramid, a straight beam of gold light shot from the Emperor’s heart, injecting into the Holy Relic Priest whose body had been dead for thousands of years.

It was the Emperor’s unique power,

Gradually, under Fugen’s puzzlement and Mazda Moody’s expectant gaze, light appeared in the yellow topaz-embedded white jade eyes beneath the Golden Burial Mask on the relic’s head.

Something was happening within this Holy Relic.

Slowly, the relic’s arms rose, the mummy that should have been dead opened its mouth and uttered an ancient language. The power came from beyond the universe, containing the hopeful power from the universe’s origin, stars twinkled, and the Ancient Saints’ Power of Creation emerged on him.

"For... the Great Plan!"