Tai Luo pondered for a moment, then answered, "There are about 200 in total, counting both the official First Level Combatants and those who possess near equivalent combat strength."
"But there are only thirty-three Guardians."
"Yes," Tai Luo said with a smile, "The standards for a Guardian are very strict. Not only must one be a Fire Holder, but they must also possess ample honor, enough strength and potential for growth, sufficient wisdom, and leadership abilities. Only the most outstanding individuals can become Guardians."
Jessica nodded lightly, "Tai Luo is right. Guardians are the strongest and most potential among First Level Combatants. Only we have the hope of becoming the most powerful Fire Sons and joining the ranks of Special Level Combatants."
Rod felt both pride and a certain heaviness in his heart. The path to advancement was far more rigorous than he had imagined. His rapid ascension to Guardian had been just a stroke of luck.
Afterward, under Amendo’s lead, Rod met all the Guardians present.
They were very enthusiastic and very friendly to the newcomer, always giving a detailed introduction of themselves and eager to fight alongside him.
Rod remembered each of their names. The vast majority of them were combatants from the Spirit Fire Series, but a few were from the Starfire Series. There were older ones and younger ones, but he was still the youngest among them.
This didn’t make Rod very happy. Everyone treated him like a junior; the nicer ones addressed him as Brother Rod, the less kind as Little Rod, and even worse, Rod Junior or Little Brother.
Of the thirty-three Guardians, only eleven were physically present, and another six came in the form of spirits.
Half of the fifty-two seats were empty. Some were covered in dust while others had only recently been vacated.
Rod saw Lily’s seat, still engraved with her name, while the other empty seats had no names.
This made Rod feel uneasy.
If a name were wiped away, what trace of her would remain in this world?
However, Amendo soon told him that once a name appeared on a Guardian’s seat, it would never be erased. If a Guardian fell in battle, a new chair would be placed, and the old one would be forever kept in the old vault.
Immediately after, Amendo moved toward Trolian’s statue and pushed open a door at its foot.
"This is the Guardians’ old vault, where all the Guardians’ relics are stored."
When the three stepped into the gray storeroom, they were stunned by the sight of rows of bronze seats.
The chairs filled the room, piling up to the top of the storeroom.
Amendo said solemnly, "The vault can no longer fit more, and we plan to open another vault."
Rod exclaimed, "Are these all the Guardian’s relics? How many are there?"
"One thousand five hundred and sixty-one."
Amendo’s voice was hoarse and deep, laden with profound sorrow.
"These are all the Guardians who have perished in battle over nearly four hundred years."
"What about four hundred years ago?"
"They were lost, the Great Extinction... Oh, historians now refer to it differently, the Second Trolian Catastrophe. After that, we retained few relics, and history saw a discontinuity."
"Before the catastrophe... how many Guardians did we have?"
"We don’t know. It’s estimated to be in the hundreds."
"And the First Level Combatants?"
"They likely all perished. After the Great Catastrophe, one out of ten Trolians survived, and only one out of a hundred strong and high-ranking combatants remained. It has taken us four hundred years to recover to our current state," Amendo’s voice became calm.
"But now, we have the opportunity to surpass our most glorious era."
"It lies in Starry Sky City."
"A stronger Holy Fire will ignite more souls, give rise to more high-ranking combatants and top powerhouses. More of us will step into the domain of the Commanders, and humanity will finally produce a true King."
Looking at the three before him, his cloudy yellow eyes suddenly shone with light.
"You represent the future’s hope, the mission entrusted to you by the fire!"
Tai Luo clenched his fist to his heart and declared loudly, "We will certainly not disgrace the mission of the fire!"
Jessica smiled faintly.
"First Elder, Your Excellency, you will witness an extraordinarily powerful Spirit Woman whose liberation will ultimately save this world."
Rod thought for a moment, then asked, "What exactly is meant by a true King?"
Amendo answered gravely, "In ancient legends, beyond the domain of the Commanders, he possesses infinite Spiritual Energy and overwhelming authority, able to withstand the invasion of the nameless, guarding human safety, capable of tearing through the veil of Black Fog, letting sunlight shine over the land. He is humanity’s Savior, a super powerhouse who can confront the darkness head-on. We revere him as the True King."
"However, this is but a legend, the power of the True King Level has not emerged for thousands of years, ever since humanity entered the Dark Epoch, and even the path to the True King Level has been lost."
He paused before continuing.
"Alright, I’ve said too much. Now, you need to swiftly adapt to the identities and responsibilities of Guardians and quickly set foot on the battlefield of Starry Sky City to play your rightful roles."
"Go to the Main Hall, Archbishop Horus will lead you to Star Ring Town," Amendo said, then turned and left the Guardian Hall.
Tai Luo rubbed his fists together, calling out excitedly, "Let’s hurry, I can’t wait to join the battle!"