Road To The Eastern-Northern Ocean

More than a year later...

It had been a long time since the Far East Region rulership war. The Blauw Empire experienced ginormous changes. For starters, dozens of advanced First Step organizations surrendered to the Blauw Empire's complete dominion over the inland territory, creating the desired domino effect as every other organization followed suit. This happened when Heian Ciemnosc was still injured like a dog and recuperating with the care of a 15 year old cutest thing.

At that time, the Empress walked through the ground. Not flying or presenting herself to its inhabitants via screens or holograms, she simply walked from one point to another, visualizing everything her Empire had been deprived of for too long. Empress Shuna made her image known, and despite many having thoughts of rebellion in their hearts, at the beginning, she peacefully walked from one City street to another.

Those with the worst intentions tumbled and lost their objective as soon as they were before the Empress’s presence. It wasn’t so clear before the war ended, but when it did, and as more people were seeing the so-called their new Empress, they understood everything. The Far East Region… would change forever. However, while curiosity became proficient in the inland territory, the rebellious few organization and settlement leaders remained stubborn and even started taking advantage of the Empire’s regulations, bringing tremendous change to the status quo of the rest of the Region.

Yet, after the incident- no, the pacifying of the assigned supervisor on the rebellious leaders’ commander, such activities decreased until they finally disappeared. After that town’s mayor’s death, there were ongoing protests and the manipulative use of civilians in some settlements’ forces, trying to set some trouble. Since the Blauw Empire valued the civilians that much, those settlements’ leaders wanted to show the Region if that was true.

Slowly, their voices became so diminutive that they were practically nonexistent thereon. What took the inland inhabitants’ attention from then on was the news of the Empire recruiting more people into their military colleges, which would turn into soldier units to protect the Empire and its heart. It wasn’t known then, and it was a great phrase to attract the Far East Region’s strength into the Empire’s army, but once they started studying in the Small City island or island Cities, they would comprehend what it meant.

To protect the Empire was to defend it from an invasive force, from the Myriad Races or not, from organizations or groups of foreigners, and even neighboring or faraway Regions. However, to protect its heart is to fight in the name of the Empress, the Empire, its territory, and its people! It is to shield the Empire’s face before any enemy and to conquer and dominate others or their territories to strengthen their home.

However, even those who weren’t of the same mindset as the Empire’s slogan had studied far too long in the military college. The ‘teachings’ about solidarity and thought-provoking ideals for the Empire’s sake started 2 weeks after teaching the new military students the basics of First Step cultivation. That was enough to brainwash any person who couldn’t get this much ample knowledge even for a fortune, let alone for free as it is in the Empire’s military colleges.

When the first inland people became Imperial Guards and could travel back to their homes with permission to leave their posts, word traveled fast, and varying reactions surged. The new Imperial Guards returning home, which weren’t that new anymore, were different and changed but evolved. They didn’t lose what made them themselves. This made their loved ones feel proud, shocked, and slightly worried.

Although this seemed like a positive change, it was the first time the inland territory experienced such a tremendous change just by attending not even the Empire’s direct and most important classes for years. Of course, it wasn’t known to the inland territory that the Empire fought the top 5 organizations and continued to win even when their new Imperial Guards had just spent 1 month in the army.

Meanwhile, although the Empire was still allowing the new recruits to turn into Imperial Guards after a month in the army, they would have to go through missions and participate in some tasks with the other new Imperial Guards. Like this, they spent a few months before returning, becoming the unknown uncertainty in the inland territory. However, in the years to come, it would become the first honorary Imperial Guards from the inland settlements, just a few months after the Empire’s war, to crown itself the ruler of the Far East Region.

Time passed, and thanks to Heian Ciemnosc's occasional appearances and the Empress walking with him through the wilderness of the land, the Far East Region recuperated peace. But not one where they had before the Blauw Empire began rising. This was a new peace. One that the Blackotia Kingdom’s Far East Region hadn’t seen in who knew how long… And it was incredibly comforting.

Like this, more months passed, and gradually, propaganda of the Empire’s might spread everywhere in the Region. A few drams and even films were created, quickly elevating the future citizens in the army for the future as the settlements became more well-taken care of and improved with materials civilians couldn’t use. Even their villages were accompanied by multiple array formations, each of any kind.

Towns and cities were immensely changed, from new walls to whole streets where there wasn’t any before, and with more space for future generations. Residences, free areas, and cultivation districts were remodeled to fit the Empire’s sights for its future. And to Heian Ciemnosc’s and Shuna’s arrangements. They lived in a Palace, and they could afford to make their territory more fitting of being a ruling organization. What’s more, from a Warlord organization.

Meanwhile, the first few batches of new Imperial Guards returning home for a task or so witnessed the changes happening to the inland settlements, with some even seeing the one where they came from totally different from before! It was a slow process, but it became more unmistakable as time went on, and the Region could only fight to send their children or loved ones to the Empire’s core territory.

On the other hand, rogue cultivators started pouring in, swearing loyalty with their respective hearts for a beautiful story to hear about someday, perhaps. While the citizen soldier units were bound to be slow and depended on integrating adult Races, the cultivators’ age could range from over 10 to thousands, and it would all be game. Even those untalented fellows nearing the end after living for a few hundred years marked thrilling commotions in the Empire’s history, encouraging those rejected before to seek glory again.

Some found it, and others were turned into citizen soldier units-to-be. The Empire’s army was increasing, but so were its Craftspeople numbers. The top 5 organizations had made use of theirs as much as possible. But while they used their best Craftsmakers, they strangely focused on relying on the old and experienced instead of giving their young and inexperienced Craftspeople a chance to participate too much in the war.

Either because of fear of damaging the exemplary pace the older Craftspeople could employ or any other reason, the young Craftspeople only came to shine after the Empire came. It could be said that no complaint or dissatisfaction came from them other than the Empire distributing its resources to random cultivators and non-cultivators who hadn’t even started the cultivation path. But after some studying and disciplinary actions, they became well-behaved and quiet.

Everything was going delightfully, and unlike in the past when Heian Ciemnosc hurried to strengthen the Empire to deal with the impatient top 5 organizations, the enemy the Blauw Empire had in its sight was slowly recuperating from their last failure. Not only that, but the Region next to them was looking without trying to hide their intentions, and something had to be done before the right time was lost.

Subtly and without complications, Heian Ciemnosc started elaborating practices in the Empire’s forces for a smoother, more efficient, and simply lightning-fast amphibious operation. The ground forces were being trained harsher and harsher depending on their time in the army and status. This included Ishikyy, who gladly helped Pou get into the army and start training like a merciless masochist… along Fernanda.

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The fleets still had Low class Battleships, but they were more experienced, and with the Rear Admirals whose abundant battle-hardened capabilities were optimal for the new ones. Together, they created quite a rapidly growing navy with tremendous fear-inducing combat capability. Time passed, and the Empire’s navy, consisting of 4 fleets, became proficient in the training regimens and began needing more complicated and deadly training in between just to step up their limits.

Gradually, the Empire’s people started looking elsewhere. The civilian life became a stairway to heaven, with immense benefits raining upon them, which their capable ones didn’t feel like wasting, and they immediately worked hard to achieve something, although that would be a ‘bearing fruit’ in the future. For now, they were still in the times they wanted to take advantage and secure a great spot for their future generations.

The citizens were slightly different. Each of them was overpaid after they formally gained a position in the army and did not remain just as a reserve in case of an emergency to defend the Empire. Their lives were exhausting at first, but they would get used to it over the years. However, even now, the first citizens of the Empire who participated in the rulership war weren’t used to it. It had to be a long journey before attaining the army Heian Ciemnosc wanted the Blauw Empire to have.

As for the cultivator, they had it better. After all, they were the highest number in any war, even more so when comparing cultivator-only wars with citizen-only wars… However, one thing the whole Empire hadn’t realized yet was how their ideas of different wars for citizens and cultivators were vanishing. However, that was a thing Shuna would have to utilize well when it happened, and he wouldn’t stick around to enjoy seeing the fruits of his efforts.

In the new Change’s 26th year, 1st month, 2nd week, and 3rd day, the Far East Region received its official second Glorious Victory day and the first Regionwide. Several months later, the Empire’s army was already above the general capacity according to common knowledge… Their soldier units increased to… 90,000,000!

This was, however, completely understandable. The Clashing Dust Cult and Feathered Valley Pavilion entered the war late, basically preserving over 90% of their numbers back then. Naturally, they still had their few tens of millions of soldier units, and with time, they were trained to the Empire’s standards for Imperial Guards. Some even attained the same status as an Imperial Elder or Imperial Teacher but were still in a vassal organization without becoming the Empire’s people only.

Any organization’s people could turn into the Empire’s core force. Even a leading figure could turn into an Imperial Prosecutor. Of course, that was if they were willing to let go of the territory the Empire would leave in their hands to protect in the future. Neither of the 3 vassals under the Blauw Empire wanted to let go of such an opportunity. To lose an opportune for the future just for immediate gain wasn’t in the Empire’s preaching words.

The Door’s Expiring Breath Sect could have fought for the first spot of land, but they didn’t utter a word and let the Feathered Valle Pavilion have the first candy. Pastor Miguel wasn’t going to haggle over this, much less in the first meeting between the Empress and her direct subordinates. The latter’s title wasn’t that much, but when the ‘prefix’ of Empress was added, it changed the whole world’s meaning.

That day, as the Region celebrated and learned the Azure Dragon’s Bloodline cry, sharing it Regionwide without obstacles, the Empress, assigned supervisor, and vassals’ leaders started planning for the Empire’s following plans. When the Door’s Expiring Breath Sect’s Sect Master met Heian Ciemnosc again, he went pale, but Heian Ciemnosc was polite and treated the traumatized fellow like an ally.

Of course, the Sect Master didn’t doubt their Sect would be mauled to extermination as soon as they showed any signs of insubordination or negligence in abiding by orders from the Empire. The meeting went well, and the things were discussed. However, everytime the Empress finished elaborating, asked them to lay out their doubts, and answered them, Heian Ciemnosc would speak. And every time he opened his mouth after them from being silent, his words shocked them silly.

Yet, more time passed, and soon, as the year’s first half was nearing its end…

… Far, very far northwards from the Blauw Empire, at the ocean. It was the Change’s 26th year, 6th month, 2nd week, and 7th day. Heian Ciemnosc was already 26 years old, and Ishikyy had turned 16. She had been promoted after several months of hard work and had been a 2nd Lieutenant for a few more. Her special force team had only slightly increased, however, and it was because her requirements to even petition to enter were the highest of any other in the army.

Blauw Ishikyy, the Blauw Empire’s royal princess, iconically became the first leader and commander of a special force in the army to the delight of every Empire’s people. However, in total, there were 7 such special forces. She was just the first boss of one of them. They were the Sky Force, Draconic Force, Yellow Force, Green Force, Sand Force, Flesh Force, and the Blue Force.

These were separated and differentiated by their, more or less, specific specialization. The Sky Force focused on the Light and Wind elements. More than that, they also used many hidden weapons, some puppets, zombies, and corpses, from Fauna. However, they were still focused on the Elements as their major strength and represented the Clashing Dust Cult either in might, presence, aesthetics, and name. This Sky Force was ‘sponsored’ by this vassal, so to speak.

The Draconic Force was focused on Fauna-riding and keeping as pets to fight a cultivator, and even more so, various. Team tactics and large-scale strategies were their biggest front, and they were like the cavalry for the undeveloped planets, otherwise called rocks without an ounce of pure energy or technology. The Draconic Force was top-notch for every battlefield, be it air, in the water, or on the ground.

It was represented and sponsored by the Feathered Valley Pavilion, another vassal of the Blauw Empire, with its King already making his way to the Hana-Saga realm, as is the Clashing Dust Cult’s King. They also excelled in close-quarters combat and had from hundreds to a thousand kg of bodily strength more than the ordinary cultivator. Their only weakness might be that they don’t excel in Soul, and their Spirit Sense overall growth is still a work in progress that the Pavilion has to work on.

There was nothing to worry about, though. They had been guided enough, and if they couldn’t deal with something like this in less than 2 decades, Heian Ciemnosc wouldn’t be Heian Ciemnosc to have chosen them.

The Yellow, Green, and Sand Forces were still divided special forces. They were named after the ‘iconic’ Grottoes, who were once a big shot in their respective territories, sharing land between them. Of course, since the Empire came and conquered everything, there were no more individual territories, only the Empire’s. And since they had engaged in the early conquest path, their Palace, Small City island, island Cities, and fortified islands have become the core.

While the Draconic Force took cultivators from nearly everywhere in the Region and even a little from the southernmost zones in the Far East Region, the Yellow, Green, and Sand Forces took cultivators from everywhere from the Region and outside the Region. There were no actual ‘weaker’ special force in the Empire’s army, but these could be considered the ‘all-open’ one, where those who failed to join any other special force were always advised to either try harder or join one of those 3 special forces.

Like every other special force, they had vehicles and arsenal enough to participate in an all-out war, and they were also the special forces with more individual personnel than any other. They would be a spectacular sight in the battles to come. One could only imagine the scene where tens of thousands of special soldier units whose failure in their dream special force march into battle with their gruesome frustrations and self-disappointment raining upon the enemy in waves of incredibly well-trained warriors.

They had a bit of everything, not extremely specialized in either, as the Draconic Force does, and so on. But this made them even more dangerous. An opponent the enemy wouldn’t guard too much against would be those that seemed ordinary despite having a great title or status added to their name. With time, such a notion would be diminished with the fame they’ll gain, but underestimating the enemy wasn’t new in peak wars in the world nowadays.

The 10 years war wouldn’t have decimated a large portion of the world’s population if everyone could see any enemy’s movements and dangers that those one didn’t know represented. The amount of backstabs and new enemies popping up everywhere for anyone in war was proven, and so was the Wrath Nihility Academy, whose Blackotia Kingdom was practically destroyed somewhat.

The Flesh Force was a complex one. It had a regular number of personnel, but its focus on the battlefield was to be the vanguard. It wasn’t a surprise that the ‘old school’ personnel in this special force were enslaved traitors from the True Dragon House and Blue Starreye Clan who attempted to flee. The army’s people didn’t know how the Empire caught them, but their superiors simply said it was related to a few distant allies further to the west.

It wasn’t like the Blauw Empire expected the Flesh Force to be exterminated or a martyr, a show of power to those who ever stood against the Blauw Empire. If that was the goal, Heian Ciemnosc wouldn’t have approved it. Why waste something when he can turn it into a good point for the Empire and gain powerful enough ‘starters’ that could be great examples for the new special soldier units that joined the Flesh Force? It was a simple method from the old book. No massacre beat such tactics.

Lastly, the special force with the least numbers compared to the rest, yet the deadliest. The one Blauw Ishikyy was chosen by the Generals and Admirals to form and lead on her own, the only special force with only 1 Team in it, the Blue Force.

…