Inside a private room in the imperial palace, the Emperor was staring at a giant glass sphere with the figures of multiple people clearly visible inside it.
The figures were over a hundred, each having their own unique appearance.
The Emperor was composed and dressed in his highest-quality garments. His face was stern as he faced the figures who possessed a similar vibe to his.
At this moment, a man who seemed to be in his forties spoke. He was the least well-dressed for the occasion, but everyone inside the room knew that he was one of the strongest there.
"I did not expect the Demons to try to corrupt the World Tree; this is an extremely serious matter. Good job, Nikolas, for your quick judgment; otherwise, the balance of the world would have been thrown to the gutter."
Hearing his words, all the other figures nodded, Emperor Nikolas II included.
"What Monarch Polemon said is correct; we should investigate further on this matter since the Heroes of this generation are still young and it will take them at least five more years till they form their party. The young Dragonlancer has yet to master the God Spirits Gungnir and Aegis, after all."
A voice spoke, prompting all of the figures to glance towards them. The voice came from a pretty lady with countless geometric patterns covering one-half of her face and four horns extruding upwards from her skull. Her ears were more extended and pointier than an elf's, while countless scales covered her lower body.
This lady was named Chaphineth, one of the thirteen draconian rulers.
"Just like Ruler Chaphineth said, we should take this matter seriously. A Half-Demon appearing at this time means that the demons have other plans in motion as well. And let's not forget that with the world tree injured, it will take a while for us to move freely. We have to make sure that everything goes smoothly."
This time, the person to speak was a man whom William would recognize, as he was once his comrade. It was Xenos Irwin, one of the twelve leaders of the previous timeline. Since vampires lived longer than any other race on the continent, it wasn’t surprising to see him have the same appearance as the future, with one distinct difference. He didn't have a mustache.
Emperor Nikolas II nodded in agreement, acknowledging the gravity of the situation.
"You're both right. The appearance of a Half-Demon is a concerning sign, and the World Tree's injury restricts our movements. I’m worried they will also try to destroy or obtain the other four god spirits."
The figures within the glass sphere continued to discuss the best course of action. The room fell silent as they deliberated, each leader contemplating the potential risks and consequences of their decisions.
"I propose that we assemble a team of elite individuals to guard the god spirits, especially the ones at the Dragonlancer domain since they possess two."
Said a large man with the face of a tiger, his voice almost sounding like a growl. Pausing slightly while grabbing his chin, the man continued.
“Since my tribe doesn’t possess any hero bloodline, I will send in two to three Aura Saints, along with a few younglings to the Dragonlancer domain, as for the others I will let you guys decide. I hope the Dragonlancer patriarch doesn’t mind my proposal.”
Everyone turned their head towards the patriarch of the dragonlancer family, who was smiling throughout the entire meeting. His elderly figure stood tall, while the color of his hair and beard betrayed his age.
“I don’t mind. I’ll inform my family while also lending some forces to the cause…”
Seeing his calm response, everyone heaved a sigh of relief, since the Dragonlancer patriarch was not a simple man. In fact, he was the previous generation’s Dragonlancer hero, Herbert Dragonlance.
The meeting proceeded smoothly afterward, with everyone deciding and putting in their own forces to the cause. The five God Spirits of Roia were now in a far better situation than the previous timeline in just a single meeting. The sudden attack at the World Tree had placed a great burden on their minds.
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Thelwedean Empire, Virtu Estate.
Four months had passed since William had returned home, and things were proceeding smoothly.
After his father was given the title of Baron, they were given more territory, which allowed them to expand their surrounding village into a small but thriving city in just a few months.
The advancement of a noble in rank usually signified the competence of that noble, especially if he comes from a common background.
Malcolm was the epitome of making it from the bottom, being an orphan with no notable background whatsoever.
After reaching the age of eight, he managed to awaken his aspect thanks to his interaction with a sunstone. Although many wouldn't think of them as elemental treasures, especially as light element treasures, sunstones, be they man-made or natural, were, in fact, light element treasures.
Malcolm awakened the aspect [Holy Knight], granting him transparent white armor along with the ability to create light element weapons at will. He was also able to heal injuries and purify corruption and disease, though only within a certain region.
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At the age of fourteen, Malcolm left the orphanage and joined the army.
After Malcolm joined the Thelwedean army, his [Holy Knight] Aspect proved to be a valuable asset on the battlefield. His abilities, coupled with his exceptional combat skills, quickly gained him recognition among his fellow soldiers and commanders alike.
With each battle, Malcolm's reputation grew, and tales of his prowess as a Knight spread throughout the empire. He became known as the "White Knight," a name that inspired hope and fear in equal measure.
During his time in the army, Malcolm fought valiantly against various threats that plagued the empire. He defended the borders against marauding barbarians, purged countless demonic cults, and even faced formidable creatures that would escape from the wilderness once in a while.
As the years passed, Malcolm's leadership qualities and tactical acumen became evident. His ability to inspire and rally his troops was incredible, and he soon found himself promoted to the rank of captain. With his newfound authority, he implemented strict codes of conduct that emphasized honor, mercy, and respect for both allies and enemies.
Beyond his military duties, Malcolm sought to bring about positive change within the empire. He established training programs for aspiring knights, passing on his knowledge and instilling the values of righteousness and justice in the next generation. He also worked closely with local communities, organizing initiatives to provide aid and support to the less fortunate.
Despite his successes, Malcolm never forgot his humble origins. He would often return to his former orphanage, offering guidance and mentorship to the children who, like him, had lost their families. He became a symbol of hope and inspiration, proving that one's background did not define one's destiny.
When he reached the age of thirty, he fell in love for the first time and married. His wife, Leona Hendricks, was the daughter of a renowned merchant. They had their first child just a year later.
In this time period, Malcolm became a grand knight as his aura control became much more remarkable, reaching the Aura Breathing rank, just a rank below that of Aura Saints. The Emperor took an interest in him, giving him missions to complete, which resulted in him getting the noble title of baronet.
And now Malcolm had become a baron.
William couldn't help but be proud of his father's accomplishments as someone who had climbed up from the bottom in the previous timeline, although in a completely different way, he understood the harshness of the world.
During the past four months, William extensively trained his physique and Aura control. His relationship with his father was still strained and he could feel it effects their daily lives. The rest however acted normal, as if nothing had happened, but William knew that they too felt uncomfortable with his sudden change.
Raymond Olson, his new teacher, had made a specialized training routine for him to follow after studying him for a month.
Since William was only twelve, his body was still developing, so they had to mainly focus on his control and refine his abilities. Training hard too early would actually hinder his progress rather than make him grow faster.
While William spent a lot of his time training, he also dedicated some time to managing his people.
Since he still had people who were under Pandora's protection, he had to constantly be in contact with them. He also needed to know the latest news and make appropriate plans depending on the occasion. Thankfully, the current Hidden Master was a far more competent man than he had originally thought.
One more thing William had paid attention to was the merchants' alliance. After they were captured, he confirmed that his grandfather had succumbed to the schemes of the other merchant kings and that an outsider had taken his position.
Not liking the situation, he decided to pull some strings and make his mother's elder brother, August Hendricks, his uncle, the Merchant King.
August had been a significant help to him and Rose when they struggled. After a few months of struggle, August managed to escape the capture of the other merchant kings and gave them a safe space for as long as he could, which wasn't long.
Be it loan sharks, other merchants, or corrupt officials, they were coming after him, especially since all of his family members were dead, so in the end, he was found and killed.
In this timeline, William decided to assist him in the shadows, knowing full well that he was a great merchant but had a slightly weak personality. He knew it would take a while for him to get used to his new status, but William was sure he would be able to pull it off.
At the moment, William was using a wooden sword to strike a dummy while Raymond was giving him pointers.
He was sweating buckets, but the droplets didn't even bother him at this point; he was solely focused on improving.
As William struck the dummy with his wooden sword, he could feel his muscles straining with the effort. Raymond watched him with a keen eye, analyzing his every move and posture.
"Your form is good, but you need to work on your footwork. Remember, a skilled fighter is always light on their feet."
Raymond said, nodding in approval.
William took a deep breath and adjusted his stance. He focused on his movements, trying to make them fluid and precise. With each strike, he could feel himself improving, becoming stronger and more confident.
After an hour of training, William collapsed on the ground, exhausted but satisfied.
Raymond handed him a gourd of water, which he gratefully accepted.
"You're getting better every day."
Raymond said, a hint of pride in his voice.
William smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment.
"It's all thanks to Master Raymond; I couldn't have done it without you."
Raymond chuckled.
"Don't sell yourself short, kid. You have a natural talent for combat. All I'm doing is refining it. Plus, I have a suspicion that you’ve gone through a round of training before. You're constantly pulling your punches and I can tell you’re hiding something, but I won’t pry too deeply."
Raymond could tell that William was hiding his true capabilities and William knew. He still tried to do his best while training, however, which obviously yielded great results, even if he was straining himself too much.
He couldn’t trust that his current growth speed was good enough. His strength would have to reach unimaginable peaks for him to contend against the monsters of the future.
The current rulers and even the previous Heroes severely underestimated the strength of demons, especially the Demon King.
Demon King Kag'than wasn't some typical demon; he was way more than that. William had only faced him once, and he couldn't even look him in the eyes at that time. His knees had buckled subconsciously, and his whole face was drained of color. He could almost feel cold killing intent pierce him like countless blades. It wasn't a pleasant memory.
Even the Archmage, Leonardo, was unable to harm a single hair on his body. This put them in great despair, but they realized something in the process.
The power of Demon King Kag'than was somehow restricted, so he couldn't use his abilities to kill anyone of a certain level, but that didn't mean he was killable; instead, this meant that he was so strong that the world's rules themselves had to suppress him.
What made things even worse were the words William had heard from him at that time.
"The other kings have already conquered their world, and here I am, struggling with one. Why are the inhabitants of this world more headstrong than theirs?"
This sentence alone had put him in a loop.
It had confirmed some suspicions he had about the demonic realm, but it also added a much stronger sense of dread. He knew that this Demon King wasn't the last one just from this alone. Roia was nowhere near as safe as it seemed on the surface.
For that reason, ever since he returned, he was in a hurry, as he knew that there was an impossible enemy ahead.