The Battle Of The Soaring Dragon (1)

Blue Emirate Grotto's northern borders. 2 months and 3 weeks after the Blauw Empire initiated the last stage of the war for the rulership of the Far East Region.

Inside the encampment of the Feathered Valley Pavilion and the Clashing Dust Cult, at their main tent. Heian Ciemnosc had visited the 2 'allies' after a long time, and together. His dark coat was tainted with snow, but it quickly fell on the ground covered with a mantle, making the slight coldness dissipate and bring warmth to the First Step cultivators moving about in the tent. He had just gotten off his Ornament and met with the leading figures of both organizations without further delay.

“... Hi, thanks for having me,” Heian Ciemnosc looked at the Pastor, Preacher, and the Head and Grand Master. His dark coat seemed lavish and smoothed, seemingly made with a different surface for the winter. Heian Ciemnosc noticed their stares, looked back at them casually, and indifferently explained. “I made them last night. I thought of having something else other than war and logistics in my head. They feel great, made from Hana-Saga Creatures in the deep parts of the ocean.”

“Mn, sir, assigned supervisor, it’s good to see you again.” Pastor Miguel nodded in quick succession and with a smile. He bowed his head slightly, showing respect. Then, he clasped his hands before speaking, cutting directly to the vital matters. “We have debated about many things in your absence. Assigned supervisor and the Blauw Empire have shown us a lot this year. From the past and the results of it, to the possibilities that we wanted but always thought we could gain… and ignored other possibilities.”

“Oh, always the clever one,” Heian Ciemnosc commented in between. The Pastor gestured a semi-nod before continuing. The Pastor’s voice was a little lower and light this time. “We have seen a lot. In fact, more than enough, I would say. The Empire has always been our enemy but has made changes in the zones it has recently conquered, bringing many surprises to us. Mr. Heian Ciemnosc, would you tell us if there is any critical choice we could take?”

“... You know I visited the Sands before. And that I returned without making any changes to the top 5s movements. Well, let me tell you that nothing came out of it. I gave them a notorious chance. One which I still haven’t given to any of you and is very valuable.” Heian Ciemnosc said after forcing a short pause in the tent. He then continued with a calm tone. “They refused, and even though they were the only ones I contacted personally. Oh, they also denied contact before suddenly accepting me.”

“This, assig-” The Pastor stepped forward and cupped his hands, trying to clarify things. But Heian Ciemnosc waved his hand, silenced the Pastor with that, and continued. “But I haven’t made that choice to you yet.”

“...” The Pastor, Preacher, Head, and Grand Master looked at Heian Ciemnosc, knitting their eyebrows in confusion. Heian Ciemnosc looked at them sideways, turning his head to the left, and calmly spoke. “It’s been years, and you were not only willing to exchange materials with us. You also learned from me and respected my knowledge. This was good enough to keep you around, but you were still people whose ancestors were deadly vipers in the Empire’s rulership.”

“I could have killed you all that day when you played in front of me and fooled those idiots. But I didn’t care. However, nothing changes today. I can still kill all of you, and I don’t need to think of the consequences unless I want to start forming good relations everywhere. But that has never been the case for the Empire since I arrived, was it?” Heian Ciemnosc finished speaking for now.

“...” The 4 leading figures kept silent. Heian Ciemnosc walked forward and stood a few steps before them in the middle. He raised his hands, faced his palms towards the ceiling, and went. “If I wanted to do that, I wouldn’t just talk. At all. You are the Far East Region’s top organizations, the mightiest of the 7, and the Blackotia Kingdom’s powerhouses. My Academy’s home and where it rules.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to hurt you. But you can be of better use,” Heian Ciemnosc stepped forth once and looked at them directly, placing his darkest eyes on the Pastor and Head the most. Then, he looked at the Preacher and Grand Master before continuing, “I’ve seen enough from your side. You are willing to fight if there’s a cause. But you must show if you’re willing to fight under someone. Because that can be your fate from now on. Being someone else’s puppy.”

“!” The fellas were surprised and startled! They didn’t know how to take such words! But Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes went low for a few seconds as he spoke, reassuring them. “If you do decide to become part of the Blauw Empire, you will keep your organization’s name and style. But you’ll train your new recruits as the Empire’s people, not as from a Pavilion, House, Cult, Grotto, or Sect. Much less an Academy. The Far East Region will be forever the Blauw Empire’s rule.”

“You will be Kings or Queens of the Empire, and if it starts now, it will be the first on the list. If you agree, your entry and honorable actions will be recorded in history as the Empire grows. Because, the Empire growing…” Heian Ciemnosc paused and returned his gaze at the Pastor and Head, “Is also you growing.”

“!” - “...!” - “!!” - “!” The Clashing Dust Cult’s leading figures responded with as much tranquility as they could, but even the ruthless Preacher Alex showed thrill and envision that was hard to conceal. As for the Feathered Valley Pavilion, their Head was astronomically astounded, and the Grand Master was shocked before both revealed pleased, surprised expressions.

Putong! Before Heian Ciemnosc watched the Pavilion Head fall on his knees slowly, Pastor Miguel’s smile disappeared as he looked at the ground directly, in shame and asking for forgiveness. He didn’t waste any time and spoke his light words to Heian Ciemnosc, “Heian Ciemnosc. The assigned supervisor, little black monster… We should have seen it. I shouldn’t have let my organization act recklessly, and neither should the valley. I understand… We understand.”

“Forgive me and my people for those actions, as I am speaking for the Feathered Valley Pavilion, too. Assigned supervisor, I am grateful for this chance. I will sin and honor the evolution of my Cult while insulting my ancestors. As will the Pavilion, you may accept or punish us, but if you accept our unconditional surrender and annex our power into the Empire. I implore you to let us be part of the future so my sins from the past can be washed and make our ancestors smile instead. This… is a necessary change, this…”

The Pastor slowly looked up, becoming sterner yet subservient. If it was just me alone, I would prefer to follow you, but I have grown to see the Empire for what it is. No matter how an organization is advised, they cannot develop enough to their helper’s potential if they are unfit. The Blauw Empire has proven to be just as the past once said it was. Their people are a Warlord organization. There’s no doubt about this!”

“You wish to serve the Blauw Empire?” Heian Ciemnosc looked down at the 4 figures before him. Even Alex sat silently and meekly, prostrating before him as everyone kowtowed towards Heian Ciemnosc. Only Pastor Miguel took some time as he finished his words, and when he did, his forehead was against the ground with only a mantle separating it from the grass and dirt. Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes narrowed at this sight.

Whiff~. A soft sound echoed behind him. The leading figures didn’t have to use their Spirit Sense to feel the newcomer’s immense presence that engendered from when ‘they’ appeared. The aura this newcomer exuded was far beyond anyone of them could compare. This was… their Empress!

“Do you?” Empress Shuna asked indifferently. Her strongly determined eyes looked down at her people’s enemies, emotionless. Her questioning words, reincorporating the heaviness of Heian Ciemnosc’s words, landed on their chests and shoulders like unstoppable mountains, heaving their minds to the utter soil. Those two words echoed silently like invisible waves in and out of their bodies, shocking their fully widened eyes.

“We do,” the Feathered Valley Pavilion’s Head said first, followed by the Grand Master and followed by the Preacher. Pastor Miguel was the last to do so, but his words were heavier. Even though he wasn’t the oldest here, he was somewhat the #1 leader among them. “We do.” - “We do.“ - “... We do.”

“I, Empress Shuna, leader of the Blauw Empire, give birth to the Feathered Valley Pavilion and Clashing Dust Cult vassals.” Shuna’s presence only became stronger as her Spirit Sense materialized in their Souls, locking onto them and where the signatures of the Pastor and Head were, which could affect their organization’s medallion system. “King Miguel, King Mo Liao. You are the Blauw Empire’s first vassals in history. Your deeds in the future are the Empire’s. The Empire’s glory is yours!!”

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“Your Majesty!!” The four shouted, feeling something strange… something more!! Shuna was also affected. Her chest heaved up and down, making Heian Ciemnosc put his hands on her shoulders while her new subjects, directly under her command, word, and will, kept kowtowing towards her and stepped behind her. Shuna calmed down, although her heartbeat continued to beat at a fast pace since her man was right behind her as she marked history like never before.

“Empress, if you’re already like this when recruiting your first minions, I can’t wait to see your Empire ruler over an entire Region.” Heian Ciemnosc’s words gradually brought normalcy to the tent. They slowly lifted their heads, but by the time they looked up, their Empress had disappeared. They immediately felt disappointed, but Heian Ciemnosc was still there, and he looked at them as if about to leave. Thus, Pastor Miguel opened his mouth to speak what was in the other 3’s minds.

“Assigned supervisor! What ought we do?”

“... You’ve trained your troops, right? At least a little?” Heian Ciemnosc looked down at the Pastor and said, finding something fun about it that the 4 didn’t comprehend. The Pastor nodded, “Indeed. Little Pou has been giving everyone classes. Although there is much to be improved, she lets everyone practice after she instructs them and participates herself. Not only my Cult, but the Feathered Valley Pavilion has taken as much precaution for the near future these several months.”

“Then you’re good to go. How about the vehicles? What has your organization made all this long?” Heian Ciemnosc asked after lightly nodding. He looked at the tent’s ceiling as he did, and the leading figures became slightly embarrassed. Grand Master Errticol spoke this time, “Initially, we wanted to make warships, but seeing your success… We knew there was no need, and we would’ve just become a burden or participate, and our troops would fall.”

“We focused on the blueprints of terrestrial top-notch vehicles. Each of our organizations has fabricated more than half a thousand figures. Although I don’t believe we have enough experience, they can fight with as much bravery and might as the other Imperial Guards!” Errticol spoke confidently, and he was correct to do so. If Heian Ciemnosc hadn’t seen them when skirmishing against the top 5s and received those reports from faraway spies, he would’ve let them join only after the war, lest they create a gap and make things worse.

“Then you have it figured out.” Heian Ciemnosc gestured towards them with his right hand facing the ceiling before turning around and started walking to the tent’s exit. “You’ll take the north. There are only 3 days left before the last battle starts. Prepare your people and congratulations. I’m confident you know how to keep things quiet. I’ll leave the notice to your people. Just keep it quiet until after the war, alright?”

“Sir! Wait! We are mighty and can fight without problems, but is this enough? We still need more opportunities, and our use of warmongering vehicles isn’t as good as the Empire!” Preacher Alex yelled, garnering Heian Ciemnosc’s attention and stopping him from walking out. Heian Ciemnosc didn’t initially turn around, but as he spoke, his pale face was seen again by their eyes as their pupils shrank. “You’re the Blauw Empire now. You will receive all the training that the core of the Empire already has and will continue to advance and explore at the same level in the future. It will only start after the war.”

“Good luck,” Heian Ciemnosc indifferently said before turning around and directly leaving the tent this time. The vassals’ leading figures remained kneeling for a minute before gradually standing up. Preacher Alex was the calmest, as she heard many things from Pou, things that she only read a little from at least Third Step organizations’ famous Gifted and Chosen, who had time to grow and became their organization’s pillar.

“I guess this is it,” King Miguel said as his light smile returned to his face. King Mo Liao looked at him, then at Alex, and finally at Errticol before nodding silently. Grand Master Errticol sighed before commenting with a relaxed tone, “It is what it is… I barely feel the change… I only know one thing: we will truly feel it in the battle.”

“No, it will be after the war,” Preacher Alex suddenly said. She looked at Pastor Miguel, now also a King, and smiled tomboyishly before excitedly adding, “It just as Sir had put it. Only after the war will we receive their benefits. We fight with them now, but only after this war is over… can we… become the Blauw Empire’s territory.”

“...” Preacher Alex’s words left the other 3 speechless. They fell into ponder and gradually left the tent to start dealing with their organizations’ confusion. However, only the gray clotheds who didn’t understand what just happened. And when they did— why. The hierarchy was since they had expected this possibility before the Blue Emirate Grotto became the last bastion for the top 5 organizations. As for them, they were no longer the mightiest 2 of the top 7 organizations. They had become independent, Second Step organizations over the peak.

They had discussed this together but never gotten to actually believe it, at least not with the Empire’s people, except the civilian workers and those ‘untalented’ cultivators who could only cultivate a few realms in the First Step moving in and out of the natural resources in the northern inland. However, apparently, the little black monster had also thought about them, and the magnificent Empress had even come without truly knowing what their decision would be!

There were no threats, no mixed understandings or doubts. It was a simple in-and-out of a fast restaurant. Everything went smoothly! Thus, they could only think of one thing. Heian Ciemnosc was more terrifying the more he was allowed to think. It was scary.

. . .

3 days later. Blue Emirate Grotto’s territory, what was left in their control, precisely 100 square km.

It had been nearly 3 months of old grudges settling accounts after a long ride. One that was lower than the Azure Dragon’s Bloodline and the Wrath Nihility Academy’s story but more attrition and senseless people-slaughtering over time. The previous House, now the Blauw Empire, massacred countless organizations whose teachings were lost. The top 7 organizations were just a fusion of several past, ancient organizations that might or might not have done better and reached the peak of the Second Step.

One thing was certain: the Far East Region engenders no weaklings. Even the current vassals of the top 7 organizations, those who remained, kept fighting against the Empire or unhesitatingly joined the battle without being noticed twice or threatened by their bosses. Their will was present, and their nerves might be ordinary, but their hearts were undeniably tough. The Empire, however, had all that and much more potent.

It wasn’t a lie to say the Empire’s efforts were enhanced by its people and knowing that a leader like their Empress had their backs. Their people were living better. Families, lovers, pals, and even pets would have it better. Be it a cultivator or citizen, both could at least see the change themselves before joining the army. They first experienced the Blauw Empire’s change- Now, they are becoming part of it. Their life and death would be just a number, but their history would be honored by their home. Knowing this made their hearts chill, with a tear or two peeking out.

They wanted to die. Not because of what they felt, not because of the promises that they wouldn’t know if they were accomplished or not. And definitely not because of selflessness. But because they knew all of this was truth. They weren’t fighting for a leader… they were fighting under the leaders’ command, but they were all walking for their Empire!

The Blauw Empire’s ground forces had taken over 90% of the Blue Emirate Grotto’s territory. It consisted of at least 10,000 km from the north to the south, while the distance between the shore and the limits of the Far East Region was about twice that distance. The enemy’s energy barriers were dozens, and after their initial catastrophic defeat against the Empire in their own territory and after preparing so much… The enemy changed their strategy.

They reinforced particular weak spots with more vanguard and spread each defensive line’s troops, congregating them in fewer weak spots to ensure the killing of as many of the Blauw Empire’s soldier units as possible. The Empire had to continue with their previous strategies, and the forces that didn’t meet the enemy head-on would have to rush at the enemy, tens of kilometers away, and join their comrades to annihilate them.

It exhausted the cultivators’ energy storage a little, but the citizens had to learn how to fire in movement from their armored cars or motorbikes. As more time passed, the enemy devised similar defensive strategies with the appropriate equipment and resources. Enemy tanks started appearing after the first month, protecting the vanguard from severe damage but were immobile and could only act as a magnet for the Empire’s stress relief and relieving pat.

After 3 weeks since the beginning, the Empire’s ground forces started learning better ways to reach the enemy, enter the other side, and finish them off without suffering as they were doing. By the end of the 2nd month, those few unique forces that were simply different from the other imperial Guards when they battled gained enough prestige to become venerated across the army and navy together.

They could be seen leading the other forces like a mommy duck, with each separate unit following after them with precision. When a battle started, led by these unique forces, they would throw the enemy in disarray and leave a few units behind before rushing out to look for another enemy congregation of vanguard, tanks, and artillery guns. Battles became longer, but as the Empire’s ground forces continued to experiment and learn, the sudden spike up in casualties dived and only slowly increased as the enemy responded in turn.

Both sides grew and learned, put that experience into technique, and slowly became arduous battle-hardened soldier units and commanders who could just never give the other side a moment of weakness to be exploited.

However, no matter how much the enemy struggled, before the Blauw Empire, who lacked no training or heart, they all faltered like the simple difference between a top-notch product and a defective one.

The enemy defensive lines now took over a day or a couple days to take down… but today, both sides knew it was going to be different. Today… today was the day.

…