A hundred and thirty. Julius headcounted how many bodies he annihilated as the whole Rain Swamp War took a shift. Maybe the motivation for his and Solomon’s victory toward the Adalberht had changed the attitude of the soldiers, bringing more efficient results. Upon recognizing that during the final chapters, Julius was not only disappointed but piqued at the sudden change. While focusing on leading the onslaught, his multitasking at work was processing the future of management. Without one, he for sure certain no answers about him would progress and come to a complete halt.
The two “hated” dragons, to Julius’s surprise, did their duty and assisted in wiping half of the percentage of enemy soldiers on the line. Because of that, Julius did not dismiss them and eventually sent them off once the results were satisfied.
“Move out of the way!” Julius yelled, throwing his greatsword into a frisbee. While letting it revolve around at eminent power, he went maniac and grappled with one of the armored soldiers as his meat shield. He pressured his thighs and went on in an offensive tactic, tackling everyone in sight. The one unfortunate soldier who was being used didn’t die immediately until around the tenth, when Julius killed him from the inside, using dark qi to purge everything from within.
The act left no blood on his penetrating right hand. His mouthpiece closed up in reaction and once everything dried up, he began dashing right into the crowded clusters. The kill count went above the average per minute. The entire part of the swamp turned into raspberry juice, smelling pungent and dreadful. It was nose-damaging, but had to endure the splashes from the footwork to keep up with the battle.
“Julius, stop!” Solomon commanded.
“What now?!” Julius said, leveling down his shield.
“The war is over. Renos admitted defeat and surrendered. Take that corpse shield off your damn hand, for Yinhai’s sakes.”
Julius grimaced, followed by a grunting huff. “Darn it, you saying we have to care for these war criminals?!”
“There are trials to be made.”
Trials?! At this time?! “What are the rules here in war?!” Julius demanded an answer.
Solomon raised his hand to his shoulder, realizing Julius was not pleased. “Don’t blame me. All of us received the protocol. One of them was that the winner of battle should take the enemy as prisoner as much as possible.”
“What a damn waste of resources. We should only take the ones who we find to be innocent and only join for the sake of fear or any ailment rather than the desire to kill us with no strings attached,” Julius suggested.
“Now that is a difficult and multi-step process. We have to—”
Julius angrily walked off, ordering Solomon to follow. “Enough! I don’t have time for debates. We either save the dynasty or let it fall because we allow our enemies into our wrecked capital! And don’t think dragging them all at least two thousand shìlǐ (市里) back.”
He cut off any potential counter or rebuttal, heading back to the solid ground. Over there across, the black spherical qi dispersed once Julius stepped foot close to it. Daiyu, in a crisscross, opened her eyes again in relief as everything had calmed down, prompting her to get up from the ground. Empress Cai, adjacent to her, appeared to be weakened but in good spirits. Daiyu had to support her.
Julius dashed right next to Empress Cai, holding to her left. “Can you walk?” he asked.
“I think so,” Empress Cai mumbled. She gestured to him and Daiyu to let go as she slowly nudged her foot. He watched her movement. If she attempts to cross over the solid ground, he will prevent her from doing so.
“I have to get y’all back one way or the other,” Julius muttered before hearing flying footsteps arriving. “Perfect timing.”
Break! Shatter!
A metal bat. Julius saw the bat break in half, revealing the fractured metal alloy spitting remnants of blue qi. Like a textbook, he immediately recognized it. Victoria. He mentally muttered her name. One more turn to find her standing there with a little grumpy face.
“Where the hell have you been?” Victoria yelled like a younger sister, screeching while holding her tears back.
The sudden emotional change was not on Julius’s trail of thought. She was really crying out, dismissing the silent and quiet character that he had known since the first interaction. Julius looked at the metallic shaft before handing it to her. Hovering it right in front of her face stopped Victoria’s crying.
From the look of the fractured bat, it can’t be reformed. Solomon shook his head, mentioning no more of it. Elefantstahl’s supply in West Cai Dynasty was shockingly low. Their resources differ completely from Kriegshan, as Elefantstahl’s equivalent might be impossible to mimic. Solomon could continue what he usually does, but the inaccuracies are significantly high. Hearing it briefly initiated Julius further to pass on the metallic shaft to Victoria.
“Us alone, you’ll be the third person to wield a relic. And as for the victory of the Rain Swamp War, you could be the reminder of it,” Julius said, gesturing it more assertively.
Victoria, hesitant and trembling from her outburst, held her hand out before grabbing the metallic shaft. Her arm flexed upon the longer she wielded it for the first time. She directed the metal shaft to the floor like a cane, refusing to let her grip go until it adapted.
Created pressuring waves pushed from the metal shaft that came out from the sight of her grip. Almost like turning up the volume of the speaker as it was loud and clear into Julius’s eardrums. He maintained composure when his eyes were focused on the adapting phenomenon. Victoria progressively returned to her quiet and stoic self. The tears evaporated from her eyes, and the rain clouds dispersed, revealing the massive moonlight illuminating the event.
Sizz!
The burnt smell was almost like a steak on the grill. The first stage was pretty nice and immediately turned pungent, so Julius had to walk away from it, dispersing his qi to deter it. He sensed Victoria’s qi had merged with the metallic shaft and witnessed her lifting up at ease up to her shoulders, confirming the adaptation had succeeded.
--
Mission Completed (4):
Confront the two Heavenly Dragon (天堂龙)
Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Stay on the path. (620 miles)
Fight Adalberht the Bright Giant.
End the Rain Swamp War (雨沼泽战争)
Rewards:
$4567 → $6103 Thalers
General Class (LV.2) Meter: [24%] → [30%]
Swordsman Class (LV.2) Meter: [59%] → [98%]
Cultivation Rank 7 Meter: [0%] → [34%]
--
I’ll be damned. Finally. Julius drank a bottle of water, giving a couple more bottles for others to hydrate. “We are flying back.”
“What about the soldiers?” Solomon asked, mentioning the remaining who were alive.
Julius strolled to the edge of the solid ground, viewing the swamp. Skoltor counted to be barely twenty. He then turned to him, questioning their capability. “How did they get here? As a matter of fact, how did y’all get here in the first place?”
“We flew,” Solomon replied.
“Then I’m certain they can too, right? Or did they go on the usual horseback?”
Solomon nodded, meaning all who survived were capable of a lengthy flight. That partially lifted the weight off Julius’s shoulders, and in response, he turned away, heading to Empress Cai and Daiyu. “It’s time. We have to go now. If they can fly, I trust they will follow along.”
Boom!
He lifted Daiyu and Empress Cai up into the air and took the route back, heading straight towards Longyue. Despite not living here long enough and reviewing the map, he recognized the air like driving around the streets in Colemond. Photographic memory to the advantage and finally has some use.
--
7672.69 mi/hr. ↑↑
--
Boom! A record achieved as Julius broke into the Mach ten record in a flash. For maintaining a constant rate of speed, this was an impressive record, along with lifting two cultivators each in his grip, adding the pressure and drag.
Empress Cai suddenly dropped in her qi, which Julius and Daiyu both simultaneously reacted in disbelief.
“My lady?!” Daiyu gripped her arm before she slumped down.
“No,” Julius muttered anxiously, turning to Daiyu. “You think you can hold against the speed?” he asked.
“Yes? What are you thinking?”
Julius bit his lip. “I’m going to raise it, so hang tight.”
Swoosh!
His qi overwhelmed his entire feet before bursting like switching on the rocket boosters before liftoff. The sound of blazes soundproofing the air surroundings was convenient, and, in a few seconds, a forceful push launched him right off, pushing beyond his record-boosting speed.
--
647 miles traveled.
--
Less than a minute he arrived back at Longyue’s capital territory, appearing from up in the air quieter and less orange. From the exact spot he left and now returned, the complex and the palace survived and remained intact for most of it. Unfortunately, the Department of Staff building had collapsed. Julius descended into the complex, passing by the tower, and landed on the roof of the main hall. He let Daiyu go, and she stretched her legs swiftly before turning to Empress Cai, who was on the brink of a health crisis. Carefully, Julius let Empress Cai go into Daiyu’s hands and arms.
Empress Cai instinctively wrapped her arms around Daiyu’s shoulders while eyes closed. Julius hoped it ain’t a disease or anything life-threatening.
Daiyu, with her right arm around Empress Cai’s waist and holding her, turned to Julius. She lifted her left, summoning a scroll that appeared exactly as the clone given to him a couple of hours ago. Her eyes were on his hands unrolling the scroll, and he read each line from the top to bottom.
Is she serious? A risky decision, to be frank. Julius reacted with a deep breath, doesn’t even need to reread the scroll. “Are you certain this is the right call?”
“Other than an indescribable growth rate of yours on the battlefield and as long you don’t leave unexpectedly like what happened two weeks ago for us, I’m confident that this is the right call.”
“Hmm…I’m grateful for your reflection. In that case,” Julius muttered while hovering his hand over the bottom of the scroll. He flicked his fingernail from his thumb over the surface of his index finger, letting blue blood leak out. Not for long. He would pinch until it was a couple of inks' worth of drops, creating a teeny puddle. Writing out with the same finger, Julius wrote his entire name in characters.
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Upon reading this scroll, the individual has been chosen to immediately hold the office containing all authority of the Imperial Majesty and ruling of its sovereignty. The Imperial Majesty is expected to preserve the unity and the state’s health until its dying breath. Receiving the position has rarely occurred in history and comes with a prime responsibility, especially for a non-royal proclaiming the role.
Below are listed the decrees the preceding Imperial Majesty has written:
Section 1 → The next wielder of the throne shall be revealed to the secrets of the sacred relics that established the West Cai Dynasty. They shall be honored to keep the secrecy for the stability of the nation. Any wrongdoing that leads it into the enemy’s hands shall bring instability and potential collapse of the state and the unity of the people.
Section 2 → A personal note to you, Julius. I might have known you for at least two weeks, while you only recognized us for less than a day. I am sure Daiyu has gained the newfound confidence of you from the Rain Swamp War, and my trust in her was rarely mistaken. Today was the seal for me to put my trust in you. If I don’t last, bring me to the ancestral sites at the High Cai Plateau (高蔡高原). If I survive, I hope you can still continue to be my disciple.
Section 3 → My second and final personal note to you, Julius. You might have become aware of the situation with how my relations with officials have brought some level of uncooperativeness and tension. That moment where we killed the closed-minded officials was one of the initiations of another war. The Rain Swamp War was only the beginning and our first victory after the horrific defeats of the past week. We might have won, but that would bring the attention of neighboring countries, domestic sects and houses, and the common people. It might be a lot to ask, but a suggestion is to try to reach their hearts and bring any doubters and enemies to our side peacefully.
As a closure, I wish you the best in ruling this great Motherland the gods of Yinhai had gifted us. All our ancestors will be watching your progress.
Your Imperial Majesty,
Empress Cai Mei.
女皇蔡美
Julius
尤利乌斯
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“Thank you,” Julius said to both Daiyu and Empress Cai. “I’m honored.”
Daiyu nodded before leaping away into the distance as Julius watched her away. As the pleasant winds returned a breeze of cold air, he turned around and viewed the rest of Longyue, formerly a beautiful skyline accompanied by the greenery landscape and the blue water, now virtually ground zero. For the rest of the night, he stood by and viewed the scenery with the moonlight, taking a breather and stress relief before committing to his new role.