Chapter 475 The Great Emperor Ignas Arrives in His Loyal Land
June 1st, 344 AD, early morning.
The morning light broke through the thin mist on the horizon of the Cui Luan Mountains, turning the remaining snow on the mountain peaks a pale gold.
Nearly two months have passed since the Kingdom of Aura conquered this strategically important place. During this time, the various legions that had been resting here replenished their troops, honed their weapons and foes, and assembled on the broad, gentle slopes of the western foothills of the mountains.
Galos stood atop a towering black cliff.
With his wings folded to his sides and his long tail hanging down to the ground, he looked down at the army below, which moved in an orderly fashion like an ant colony.
This massive legion is now in full swing, preparing to march south, with its sights set on Silvershine City, the capital of the Kingdom of Theo.
The blue dragon Zolaya descended from the sky, folded her wings, and landed slightly behind the red emperor.
Her slender neck was slightly bent, and her gaze lingered on the Red Emperor's majestic body for a long time.
“My great Emperor Ignas,” Zolaya began, “according to our planned route, the first city along the way is Iris City, the economic and cultural center of the Province of Aris, densely populated and rich in resources.”
"To finally reach Silvershine City, we still need to cross the other five provinces of Theo along the way."
"Should we issue an order to increase the marching speed?"
Galus did not move his head, but merely flapped his wings slowly.
"Maintain the status quo."
He said.
Aris Province, one of the six provinces of Theo, is directly governed by the highest administrative official appointed by the kingdom, the provincial governor.
Apart from Theo, similar provincial systems were the mainstream among the human-owned countries on the Romanian plains, although there were differences in the details.
Galos personally led his legion, approaching the province of Aris with unstoppable momentum and at a leisurely pace. His main purpose was not to attack the city, but to put pressure on Theo, plunging them into fear and tension, and ultimately forcing them to request peace talks.
He gave Theo time and gave them a choice.
If the king and nobles of Theo ultimately choose to yield and resolve the dispute peacefully, it would naturally be in Garus's best interest at the moment, allowing him to achieve the greatest results at the lowest cost.
But if they still harbor illusions, pinning their hopes on unfulfilled allied aid or other unrealistic fantasies, and insist on resisting to the end, Galos wouldn't mind playing along.
It was nothing more than conquering city after city along the way, crushing all obstacles with fire and steel, until the capital city called Silvershine was trampled underfoot.
That would cause more trouble, consume more time and resources, and could even trigger wider intervention.
However, Galus had already weighed the pros and cons and would not back down directly because of this.
No matter what, we have to take a big bite out of the meat.
"Theo's rulers had better be sensible."
Hong Tielong gazed at the distant south, silently thinking to himself.
On the same day, at noon, in Silverlight City.
Today's gentle sunlight shines evenly on the white marble city walls and the towering mage towers, gilding them with a warm golden edge.
Along the main road in the city, the broad leaves of the silver-leaved sycamore trees rustled in the breeze.
The tender green leaves should be full of vitality, but at this moment, the whole city is shrouded in an invisible and heavy chill that even the sunlight cannot dispel.
Royal Court, Council Chamber.
The heavy door was tightly shut, cutting off all outside noise.
Inside the hall stood many people, all of whom were the most powerful nobles and ministers of the Kingdom of Theo.
They were dressed in magnificent robes that symbolized their status and wore family crests, but at this moment no one spoke, no one even dared to breathe loudly, and there was complete silence.
The throne is located on a high platform at the north end of the hall.
A man who looked to be around fifty years old, with graying temples, was gripping the handrail tightly with both hands, his knuckles white.
He wore a deep purple royal robe embroidered with the coat of arms of the Theo royal family and a crown inlaid with jewels.
However, the body beneath the royal robes and crown was trembling slightly, unable to stop it.
Fear, anger, humiliation, violence... a variety of intense emotions churned and intertwined in his sunken eye sockets, turning his once sharp eyes bloodshot.
This man was none other than the contemporary ruler of Theo, King Oliver Chapman.
"Three years... just three years."
Oliver's voice broke the silence first, hoarse and dry, like the low growl of a wounded lion.
"The indestructible wall was easily breached; the magical satellite, costing countless sums and representing the culmination of generations of the kingdom's efforts, has become the enemy's spoils of war! Now, even the last natural barrier, the Emerald Peaks, has fallen into the hands of those monsters!"
He rose from his throne, his bloodshot eyes sweeping over the assembled courtiers.
"And all of this was caused by that so-called Kingdom of Aura, that red dragon who calls himself Emperor! At the beginning of the war, what did they have? Two legends! Just two!"
He held up two fingers and shook them violently.
"And look at our Theo! We possess six provinces, countless subjects, and mountains of wealth accumulated by generations of kings, along with a superb military! We also have more than ten powerful legends! Each of them has a illustrious reputation!"
Oliver's voice grew louder and louder, almost a roar that disregarded all decorum, with veins bulging on his neck.
"We also have steadfast allies like the Kingdom of Reipos and the Kingdom of Kambruk! We have more legendary figures than them! Our levels are higher! Our equipment and magical items are superior! We control the natural barrier of Dragon Slayer Pass! We have a well-trained legion!"
"But why—!"
He raised his fist and slammed it heavily on the armrest of the throne.
Why can't we defeat a dragon that crawled out of the wilderness?! Why has our proud, unyielding shield shattered?! Why have the fangs of our mountains, which we regarded as sharp swords, broken?!
"I don't understand! I can't comprehend it!"
Huff... huff...
The king was breathing heavily, his chest heaving like a bellows, then he turned his head and stared at several standing figures.
They stood silently in the shadows or beside pillars, exuding an aura distinct from other nobles, and did not need to kneel before the king, their posture upright.
These people are the legendary powerhouses who still exist in the Kingdom of Theo.
There are legends who originally guarded Silvershine City, and there are those who escaped from the devastating defeat in the Emerald Mountains and fled back to the capital.
The silence lasted for several seconds.
Finally, a figure shrouded in dark gray leather armor moved slightly.
Spencer, the Shadow Warrior, participated in the early siege of the White Dragon Bescal and also experienced the two decisive battles at Broken Dragon Pass and the Emerald Mountain Range.
Spencer took a half step forward, the shadow fading from part of his face to reveal a weathered look.
He raised his head and met the king's gaze.
"Your Majesty, what you said... is all correct."
His voice was steady, yet it conveyed a deep sense of helplessness.
"On paper, in pre-war simulations, we did indeed have a numerical advantage, a superior level, and were better prepared."
"But war, especially war involving legendary events, is never a simple accumulation and comparison of numbers."
"The difference between legendary and ordinary levels is actually smaller than that between ordinary and ordinary levels. Except when breaking through to the three major stages of advanced, crown, and destiny, it is only a reference most of the time."
"It cannot accurately measure the power of each legend's domain, cannot compare those bizarre characteristics, and even less... measure the vast differences in the essence of life."
Spencer's gaze drifted into the distance, as if he could see again the sky-covering dragon wings and its destructive breath.
"Even the most common dragons, even white dragons, are far superior to humans of the same level."
"To successfully hunt down a legendary dragon, at least four human legends of the same level would need to plan meticulously and cooperate seamlessly to have any chance of success, and that's just for ordinary dragons."
He took a deep breath and lowered his voice.
"And the Red Emperor we are facing is not a normal dragon."
"Even among dragons, a race that already stands at the top of many life forms, he is a rather terrifying and extremely unusual being."
"His domain seems unremarkable, but the intensity of his life essence, the characteristics he exhibits... are far beyond all our previous understanding; he is the dragon among dragons."
“In the Cui Luan Mountains, I witnessed firsthand how he recovered from a fatal wound.”
"That's not a simple healing spell, Your Majesty. It's a miracle that reverses life and death, or rather, a nightmare."
When the Red Emperor was mentioned, even the legendary Shadow Warrior couldn't help but feel a flicker of fear in his eyes.
The battle in the Cui Luan Mountains still feels like a nightmare to this day.
The other legends also lowered their eyes slightly or looked away, their silence revealing the same solemnity.
He summoned satellites from the sky, transformed meteorites into formidable barriers, and was resurrected from the brink of certain death... Every move that Red Emperor made subverted common sense, trampled on their accumulated knowledge and pride, and was truly invincible. Even they, who were also legends, felt breathless when they heard his name.
"Your Majesty, we are not fighting a normal legend; we are facing a walking calamity."
Spencer said bitterly, "If we had been able to assemble all the legends at the beginning and launch a surprise attack on the Red Emperor at the right opportunity, there would have been a chance of victory, but after two huge defeats..."
"Enough!"
King Oliver swung his arm sharply, his wide robe sleeves whipping up a gust of wind that interrupted Spencer.
"Excuses! They're all just excuses!"
He shouted angrily, his face flushed red with rage.
"You are just making excuses for your failures, your mediocrity, and your incompetence!"
The king let out a short, shrill laugh.
"Haha... The true masters of Planet Bernardo are our human race! At the very least, we are a humanoid race!"
"Those dragons that have long been eliminated by history and are only fit to eke out a living in the wilderness or the ocean should stay quietly in their caves and lairs, instead of jumping out to challenge the order of civilization!"
"Our Theo has a long history and profound heritage, how could we lose? How could we possibly lose to wild creatures?!"
He turned abruptly to look at his secretary and the foreign minister.
"Immediately send envoys to Reps, Kambruk, and Sak! Send more messengers! Use the most urgent language to explain the principle of 'if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold'!"
"I refuse to believe that these allies and neighbors can sit idly by and watch a giant dragon rampage across the Romanian plains and destroy a kingdom!"
"They will definitely come to our rescue! They will give us more reinforcements, they definitely will!"
The king waved his arms wildly, issuing a series of commands as if he wanted to shout out all the pent-up frustration and resentment in his chest.
Below the stage, the vast majority of officials and legends remained silent.
Only a few young and ambitious nobles showed excitement on their faces, but they were quickly infected by the gloom in the eyes of their elders or colleagues and lowered their heads again.
After another incredibly long few minutes, the king's voice gradually faded until only heavy breathing remained.
He seemed to have exhausted all his strength, and slumped back onto the throne, covering his face with his hands.
Silence returned to the council chamber, with only suppressed and heavy breathing remaining.
After an unknown amount of time, Oliver slowly lowered his hand.
His back was slightly hunched, and his crown appeared somewhat crooked.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, the rage and resentment in his eyes had completely died down, leaving only a numb calm.
"Ezra".
The king summoned the chief minister standing on the right, whose face was stern and old-fashioned.
"Your subject is present."
"Issue my decree to immediately contact Governor Anderson of the Province of Aris."
Oliver spoke slowly and deliberately, as if each syllable weighed a ton.
"He was ordered to disarm all towns, passes, and fortresses in Iris City and the province, seal up all armories, clear the main roads connecting to the capital and the post stations along the way, and organize... a welcoming party."
He paused for a moment, his Adam's apple bobbing.
After struggling for a few seconds, he still said, "Prepare...to welcome Emperor Aura with the highest honors."
These words were tantamount to surrendering the entire wealthy province of Aris, along with its capital city, Iris City, without a single battle.
But this is the price that must be paid to start peace talks.
Moreover, everyone understands that what Theo will ultimately have to give up is probably far more than just Aris.
"His Majesty!"
A young nobleman, his face still showing signs of immaturity, couldn't help but stand up, his expression filled with indignation. "We can conscript more soldiers, mobilize the populace, and use every city for urban warfare to buy time and await reinforcements—"
"What else?"
Oliver abruptly interrupted him, his voice still flat.
"Send the remaining soldiers to their deaths? Let Silvershine City become a second Dragon's Pass? Or should we wipe the Kingdom of Theo off the map of the Romanian Plains and make it cease to exist?"
The young viscount opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.
"Furthermore," the King turned his gaze to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Foreign Minister, "you two should take the lead, together with the Ministry of the Interior, to thoroughly liquidate the national treasury, the royal treasury, and the reserves of the major families, without any concealment."
"Gold coins, silver coins, magic crystals, various gems, rare magical materials, precious works of art, ancient books and documents..."
“Make a detailed list of everything we can get our hands on.”
"Then, under the leadership of the Foreign Minister, a preliminary draft of the 'Postwar Reparations and Bilateral Relations Agreement' will be prepared, including the minimum amount of reparations, the scope of cedable interests, and other restrictive agreements. These specific clauses will be discussed and drafted by you and the legendary gentlemen present here, and then submitted to me for review."
"After that... we will prepare for formal peace talks with the Kingdom of Aura."
Oliver Chapman, the King of Theo, had now fully accepted the harsh reality.
However, deep within his eyes, a tiny flame still burned, refusing to be completely extinguished.
Human life is short, but we also have a faster rate of growth.
Throughout human history, development has never been a straight line, but rather a sudden leap like a staircase.
Their resilience, one of their greatest strengths, lies in their ability to unleash astonishing power in dire straits after enduring immense blows and humiliations, giving rise to heroes who can turn their fate around in a very short time.
Theo suffered an unprecedented defeat today, his morale was severely damaged, and his dignity was completely shattered.
However, perhaps it is precisely in such darkest moments that there is a greater chance to give birth to a future genius who can rise like a comet and possess the extraordinary talent to challenge or even surpass that Red Emperor.
In short, King Theo is betting on the future.
Two days later.
Iris City, the capital of the province of Aris.
Theo, a wealthy city famous for its purple irises and exquisite silks, lost all its usual hustle and bustle on this day, and its tall city gates were pushed open.
On the city wall, there were no fully armed soldiers or generals in sight.
Inside the city, the main road extending inward from the city gate was spotless. On both sides of the street, the commoners of Theo, who had been ordered to come and greet them, stood silently, dressed in their best clothes, or nestled with their families, their faces filled with bewilderment.
Anderson, a wealthy old nobleman, was standing directly in front of the city gate.
He was dressed in a magnificent formal suit befitting a governor, his chest adorned with medals, but his face was ashen, and his hand holding the scepter trembled slightly.
Behind him stood the province's top officials, all of whom looked ashen-faced.
Time passed slowly in the unbearable silence.
Finally, changes began to appear on the distant horizon.
Smoke and dust began to rise, initially just a thin line, but then quickly expanded and rose, like a sandstorm covering the sky. Within the smoke and dust, countless terrifying figures could be vaguely seen moving, and the dull, thunderous footsteps and flapping wings could be heard.
A terrifying sense of oppression was palpable even from a distance.
The governor's legs buckled, and he almost knelt down, but was barely supported by his adjutant beside him.
The smoke and dust were getting closer.
The Aura Legion came into view, its warriors from various races in the wilderness fully armed, like a moving steel jungle.
Then, boom!
An indescribable sense of majesty and oppression descended upon them, a wildness that seemed to descend upon them.
All the greeters from Iris City, whether nobles or commoners, involuntarily buckled at the knees, knelt down, and buried their heads deeply, unable to look directly at each other.
The smoke and dust parted to both sides.
A massive, dark red figure crashed down in front of the city gate.
The Red Emperor, Galoth Ignas, has arrived.
He suppressed most of his dragon might, but with his mountain-like behemoth body, a single glance from him was enough to shatter the minds of mortals.
His vertical pupils swept over the kneeling crowd, over the wide-open city gates, and over this city devoid of any will to resist.
Finally, the Red Emperor's gaze fell upon the governor at the forefront.
Governor Anderson shuddered, and with all his might, in the most humble manner, he kowtowed to the sandy ground and shouted.
"On behalf of all the officials, nobles and citizens of Iris Province, Governor Anderson Ferguson of the Province of Aris welcomes His Majesty the Great Emperor of Aura, His Majesty Garos Ignas, to reign over Iris!"
"May Your Majesty's glory, like the sun and moon traversing the sky, be eternal and unfading!"
"May Your Majesty's majesty stand tall like the mountains, enduring for eternity!"
"All gates of Iris City are open! All weaponry has been sealed! All treasuries have been inventoried! Your Majesty is hereby invited to enter the city for inspection!"
His voice echoed before the empty city gate.
Immediately afterward, the officials and noble representatives behind him echoed, trembling, "Welcome, Your Majesty..."
The sound was initially faint and scattered, but before long, similar sounds began to rise intermittently from the kneeling crowds of civilians on the city streets. These sounds converged and formed a deep and indistinct wave of sound.
Red Iron Dragon watched them quietly.
"lead the way."
He said this in a deep, thunderous voice.
The governor, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, bowed deeply, like the most humble guide servant, and walked cautiously at the front.
Red Iron Dragon strode into Iris City.
Each time his claws landed, the ground trembled, and his shadow completely enveloped the crowd kneeling on either side.
Behind him, Aura's monster army surged into the undefended city like a black tide, while the dragons and flying creatures in the sky let out louder or sharper hisses, and the sound of their wings cutting through the wind enveloped the entire sky.
June 3, 344 AD.
As the sun rises higher, the irises that have bloomed all spring begin to wither in the wind.
Aris, one of the six major provinces of the Kingdom of Theo, changed hands without a fight, temporarily ending the war between the two kingdoms and initiating peace talks.
(End of this chapter)
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