CHAPTER 2253: EXTERNAL STRATEGIC DETERRENT

Emperor Rael had a hard time maintaining his composure when the Gatekeeper reported the fact that Rui stepped in the middle of Operation Clean-Up and displayed his ability to break through the open, causing the birth of two new Masters, one of which went on to massacre all but one Sekigaharan Master.

He didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

On one hand, the secret of the breakthroughs had been revealed.

On the other, Kane had gotten rid of a huge number of Martial Masters, greatly relieving the pressure that the Kandrian Empire would face in Master-level combat.

However, with the intelligence leaked, it was quite questionable whether it was a good idea to let Rui continue battling. He knew that Rui would continue fighting even if he was in grave danger.

Precisely because he was in grave danger.

Emperor Rael didn't even need to ask why Rui had done what he had done. Just the presence of Kane in the operation was enough for him to understand what Rui's motivations were.

"Huff..." He massaged his head. "Oh well, I suppose that this isn't the absolute worst thing that can happen."

It was still extremely bad, of course.

However, what would have been worse was if they had lost the battle with the Sekigahara Confederate, and the Kandrian Empire suffered immense damage as a result.

In comparison, although he would have preferred that Rui's secrets remain a secret, he couldn't help but be relieved that the war had begun with an overwhelming victory.

"Still, It is rather surprising to see that the Master-level front showed greater results than the Sage-level front," Emperor Rael frowned. "Although Matriach Nephi did predict it."

He had hoped that additional preparations for the ambush would have allowed them to capture or at least kill four Sages.

Yet, as each of the Martial Sages on the Western Front reported, the ambushes themselves succeeded. What caused the capture of the Sages to fail was their ability to heal from the wounds in an instant, causing their plan of gaining an advantage by dealing them critical wounds through an ambush with the element of surprise.

Regardless, they had ensured that not a single scratch had befallen the Kandrian Empire. That was more than enough, as far as Emperor Rael was concerned.

"Your Majesty..." One of the officials sitting around the round table in the War Council meeting reviewing the battle with the Sekigahara Confederate asked. "The many reports from our spies of a massive super long-range siege upon the Sekigahara Confederate from the West, where the Esocline Federations is, and our spies within the latter confirming cutting- edge esoteric siege technology being deployed against the Sekigahara Confederate..."

He hesitated. "Was that a part of your grand plan, Your Majesty?"Owned by .

The entire war council meeting looked at him with curious eyes.

The news of the Esocline Federation launching massive sieges upon the Kandrian Empire after the battle commenced was something that had shocked the Kandrians just as much as it had the Sekigaharans.

This hadn't been part of the plan that they had discussed ahead of time.

"I hope all of you understand why I couldn't afford to share it," Emperor Rael's voice was calm and calculated. "The more this intelligence is disseminated, the greater the probability that it would find its way into the hands of our enemies."

"Hmph," Matriarch Nephi snorted with disapproval. "Keeping secrets from us."

"Well, since it has come out, I suppose I can inform all of you of the truth." Emperor Rael closed his eyes. "I have formed a secret alliance with Esocline Federation in North Panama in preparation for the war with the three Sage-level powerhouses."

A wave of murmurs washed over the councilors as they stared at the Emperor of Harmony with an expression of pleased surprise.

"As you all know, on paper, the Kandrian Empire has been deepening ties with the Sage-level powerhouse through sea trade," Emperor Rael calmly informed them. "However, in truth, our relationship is much deeper. I informed them of what was to come and formed military and Martial alliances with the Sage-level powerhouse."

"...Your Majesty," Grand General Aramoeous interjected. "If I may, may I inquire what form these secret alliances take? For one, the Sage-level powerhouse is extremely far away from the Kandrian Empire. Even if they form an alliance with us, it is effectively impossible for them to come to our aid in the event of an attack upon the Kandrian Empire."

Emperor Rael smiled at his words. "Your concerns are entirely valid and sound. I will let Foreign Affairs Minister Lara take the liberty of briefing you on the details of our agreements. However, it essentially boils down to what they did this time when the Sekigahara Confederate mounted its assault upon the Kandrian Empire."

Grand General Aramoeous was the first to understand among all of them. "I see. So they will serve the purpose of an external strategic deterrent."

An external strategic deterrent in military strategy referred to any entity that was able to reduce the probability or the degree of commitment of any particular military group taking a particular military action against a third party. They served to discourage action by disincentivizing, discouraging, or pressuring said military group from acting the way they might otherwise have.

"In this case," Grand General Aramoeous. "The Esocline Federation established itself as a strategic deterrent for us and against the Sekigahara Confederate, deterring them from deploying a large number of forces outside the nation."

Emperor Rael smiled. "That's correct. The Esocline Federation has essentially confirmed that it is willing to mount devastating super long-range sieges upon the Sekigahara Confederate if it attacks the Kandrian Empire. This means that, in the future, the Sekigahara Confederate cannot afford to deploy too many Sages against us because they know that they will not be able to defend against the super-long-range sieges of Esocline Federation."

This strategy meant that even if the Sekigahara Confederate pursued war against the Kandrian Empire, their available military capital was halved. It made them much less of a threat.

"How did you convince the Esocline Federation to make an enemy of one of a Sage-level powerhouse in their geopolitical vicinity, Your Majesty?" the Minister of Domestic Affairs frowned. "The Sekigaharans are known for being absolute lunatics. No one wants to antagonize them."