Facing Hysilens, who was like a curious baby, Gwyn thought for a while and briefly explained the privilege of faith and the corruption of the priestly group to her, but halfway through, he actually needed to slightly prettify those people—Hysilens was already so angry that water vapor was swirling around her, and the violin placed by her side was shining with a dangerous light—the Siren Princess was clearly extremely furious and could not accept that Fagina’s believers would be treated in such a way.
After a long while of persuasion from Gwyn, Hysilens temporarily gave up the idea of going straight to the coastal city-states to see for herself, and he continued to explain his plan.
This time, Hysilens clearly listened more, and her responses were also more active.
Three days later, the Xuanfeng army led by the King of Xuanfeng returned in triumph.
But before the current King of Xuanfeng could come to see Hysilens, the warrior about whom there were already many rumors in the city, Nikador, who had been resting in the city for three days, announced that this year’s Hanging Blade Festival would be held in advance.
Volume 1: Chapter 22 The Ambition of Amphoreus Awakens!
The Idea King, Nikador!
The current King of Xuanfeng, who was already anxious due to Hysilens’s appearance, had no choice but to accept this reality—this was an era where Nikador conquered in all directions and was invincible; its will could not be shaken by anyone.
The sudden convening of the Hanging Blade Festival immediately attracted the attention of more than half of Amphoreus.
Various city-states had no lack of brave warriors coming; some came for the throne of Xuanfeng, while others came purely to participate in and witness this grand event.
However, whether it was these outsiders or those nurtured by the Xuanfeng military, none were a match for that slender figure on the arena—without any surprise, Hysilens won easily all the way.
Even the Xuanfeng warriors encountered near the finals were no match for her at all.
Even the final King of Xuanfeng only caused a slight suspense before being defeated by Hysilens, who used her full strength.
Witnessed by Nikador, the foreigner from the sea became the new King of Xuanfeng.
This news spread like a gale across the whole of Amphoreus, adding a touch of legend to Hysilens’s story—it was well known that the City of Xuanfeng fought the coastal city-states the most, so there would be a good show to watch now.
However, the good show that the city-states expected did not happen.
None of the envoys from the coastal city-states who came to seek an audience could see the new King of Xuanfeng; instead, some bards claimed to have seen the figure of the new King of Xuanfeng in the coastal city-states.
After three months of silence, the City of Xuanfeng once again unsheathed its blades and headed towards the nearest coastal city-state.
Even though the Spear of Divine Punishment, Nikador, did not take action, the Xuanfeng army still won easily under the leadership of the new King.
But this time, while drinking their fill of pomegranate juice, the City of Xuanfeng’s treatment of the defeated was different—originally, the City of Xuanfeng always plundered the wealth of the upper class and left the lower-class civilians to wander.
But this time, the Xuanfeng people were not in a hurry to kill and loot; instead, they held a public trial for the city’s priests and elders, and the numerous crimes revealed during the process incited public fury.
In the end, at the strong request of the city-state’s residents, the Xuanfeng people executed the most heinous offenders according to the law.
This novel post-war trial made the city-state’s residents harbor much less hostility towards the Xuanfeng people, and the cheers from the enemy and the different gazes compared to before gave the Xuanfeng soldiers who went on the expedition a particularly novel feeling.
After receiving the news, the Divine Enlightenment Tree Pavilion called it a historic trial, while the priests and elders of the various city-states cursed and called it the trampling of civilization by barbarism.
Under the surging public opinion, the City of Xuanfeng was pushed to the forefront of the storm.
But no matter how instinctively they loathed such a City of Xuanfeng, they did not take any action.
The military force of the City of Xuanfeng swept across the coastal states, bringing back countless refugees who had lost their homes.
Losing one’s home and wandering in a foreign land was naturally unsettling, but Xuanfeng City was not something they could oppose, and that kin of Fagina had promised them a new life— At the very least, the people of Xuanfeng did not exploit them as ruthlessly as the priests and noble lords, and they could manage to get by.
As the population continued to grow, the territory effectively occupied by Xuanfeng City expanded, and its strength swelled visibly.
Some pointed out that if left to develop unchecked, the military might of Xuanfeng City would sweep across all of Amphoreus, and everyone would become ghosts under the blades of the Xuanfeng people!
To this end, at the call of the holy city of Janusapolis, the various city-states formed a coalition army to ambush the Xuanfeng forces on their way back to the city.
However, the coalition was a chaotic mess, and word of their plans had long since reached the Xuanfeng army.
When the two armies clashed, the coalition of city-states was directly shattered by the new king of Xuanfeng leading the charge, collapsing in a single battle.
Under the invincible military might of Xuanfeng City, more and more city-states were conquered, and more and more people left their homes to live and reside in the places arranged by Xuanfeng City.
While the Xuanfeng forces continued to capture cities, gather population, and build a new city on the high ground in the center of the continent, the saintess Tirisipios, who had left Janusapolis, spread the oracle of recreation to Amphoreus.
Meanwhile, across the four corners of the continent, the Black Tide spread silently, swallowing those dilapidated city-states that were already sparsely populated.
To cope with the Black Tide that was silently swallowing the land, Xuanfeng City, at the height of its military power, formed a new legion.
Among them were people forced to migrate, making them realize that if they hadn’t moved here, they would have been swallowed by the Black Tide along with their homelands.
“Cough, cough…
The keynote for unification has now been implemented.
Barring any accidents, in the future, the people of Amphoreus should be able to unite under one banner to resist the Black Tide that still lurks in the corners.” In the center of Xuanfeng City, within the temple of Nikador, the fading Gwyn looked calmly at the Titan, whose divine might remained undiminished, and spoke slowly.
The decay of his body had come faster than he expected; in just over a decade, he felt his life was nearing its end.
Fortunately, although Amphoreus, with its civilization locked in the classical era, could not produce a technological explosion, it possessed transcendental existence.
Moreover, the most capable gods and people were on his side, which allowed for this unified momentum to form in such a short time.
“You truly seem to have the possibility of succeeding, declaring war on the human heart and gaining the upper hand…” Nikador’s voice remained deep and heavy, and its gaze toward Gwyn held a bit more gravity— “In this regard, you are worthy of the name of Hero.
But after you pass away, she may not necessarily be able to complete this task alone—the kin of Fagina is still too naive; she does not yet understand the scheming and petty squabbles of the human heart.
And that little girl who holds death, she also needs guidance…
I fear things may not develop as you imagine.” “I have already done everything I could; the rest…
is their Path.” Gwyn shook his head, not troubled by Nikador’s words—the objective conditions were laid out here, and he was no genius of heaven-shaking and earth-shattering talent; having achieved this level was something that even surprised him.
“Perhaps there is another way.” Nikador watched Gwyn’s carefree back and spoke suddenly, causing Gwyn’s footsteps to falter.
“What way?
Could it be that when you went out last time, you went to the Divine Enlightenment Tree Court to find Sersis?” Gwyn turned his head and asked curiously.
It was a rare, perfect opening hand in a conventional sense; if it could continue, Gwyn naturally would not want to end it hastily.
“Heh…
I don’t have the time to engage in a war of words with her.” Nikador shook its head, its gaze fixed on Gwyn— “Do you remember the prophecy brought by that little girl who inherited the fire of Janus?” Gwyn immediately thought of Trinnon, who was currently living in the new city, and his expression couldn’t help but freeze— “You mean…
you want me to try to inherit the Tinder?”
Maybe it’s not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
“And If you’re enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!”