Chapter 141: Thirty Years

The turmoil across the continent was soon quelled under the suppression of Adis. Following the pacification of the land, Adis yielded to the will of the people and began to focus on recovery and development.

Taking advantage of this respite, Adis ordered the establishment of several large-scale academies across various regions. He initiated a massive, world-wide selection of talent, encompassing not only traditional skills like art and swordsmanship but also the most vital transmissions of power: Battle Qi and Divine Arts.

This move caused a sensation throughout the world. While the other subjects were one thing, the transmission of extraordinary powers like Battle Qi had historically been monopolized by the nobility, with no possibility of leaking to outsiders. Yet, at this moment, these paths were thrown wide open, accessible even to the lowest of commoners.

However, the opposition from the nobility was of no consequence to Adis. Setting aside the widespread natural faith and the massive priesthood that now spanned the world, Adis’s own strength alone was enough to suppress any dissent. A Tier 6 powerhouse—such an existence was considered a hegemon even within the multiverse, capable of challenging an entire world single-handedly; he had no reason to care about the protests of these local nobles. Thus, under the iron-fisted suppression of Adis, the objections of the nobility were ignored.

To complement the large academies established by the state, smaller schools were set up in every region, forming a comprehensive system for the commoners to learn. After all, to enter those higher institutions, one first needed to be literate, a requirement that had previously been a massive barrier for the general populace. Even so, at this stage, those able to send their children to these academies were mostly merchants and the collateral branches of minor noble families. Yet, as long as this path was opened and the general living standards of the subjects continued to improve, the spread of Battle Qi across the world was merely a matter of time.

And so, thirty years passed in the blink of an eye, until one day, this tranquility was shattered.

On the main road outside the city of Adis, the scenery had changed drastically over the decades. Broad, spacious highways had been paved, their surfaces solid and uniform. Flanked by towering trees that swayed their branches, the landscape was a testament to the era of peace. Suddenly, the sound of galloping hooves echoed across the fields, catching the travelers on the road by surprise.

"Are those... knights of the Imperial First Legion?"

Many passersby looked on in astonishment. A merchant, observing the gear of the riders, stammered, "Strange. Isn't the First Legion always stationed at the northern border? It isn't time for a rotation yet; why would they suddenly send knights here?"

"Look, everyone! More are coming!"

In the distance, knights clad in armor galloped down the highway. Each group bore different insignia, clearly hailing from various legions.

"That's the Second Legion from the south!"
"That’s the Seventh Legion from the eastern border!"
"And over there, it’s the Ninth Legion from the west!"

Watching the knights with their anxious expressions, countless travelers felt a sense of unease, sensing that something was wrong. Within the city, as the envoys from the various legions arrived, subtle changes began to take hold.

"Your Majesty, urgent intelligence has arrived from the borders!" A voice rang out from below, laced with anxiety.

It was a young man with handsome features, now visibly distraught. He was the grandson of Barton, having entered the royal palace after his grandfather’s retirement.

"Abner, calm yourself." Behind him, Bill walked up quietly. "Have you read the reports?"

"Lord Bill!" Abner turned, bowing hastily. "The legions stationed at every border have dispatched envoys; most are still on their way." He paused, adding, "Furthermore, because so many knights have entered the Imperial Capital recently, the major noble houses in the city seem to have sensed something amiss. Prices in the city are already showing signs of rising."

Bill shook his head at this. Thirty years might be half a lifetime for an ordinary person, but for a priest who had stepped onto the path of the extraordinary, it was not so long. He maintained his appearance from the past, save for the cyan priestly robes he now wore. This was the robe of a Tier 4 Cyan-Clothed Priest, an advancement he had finally achieved through long years of pious faith and the special guidance of Adis.

"Let us go in," Bill said with a smile, looking at the still-anxious Abner.

Upon entering the palace and reaching the great hall, they found Adis seated on his throne, a stack of dispatches and battle reports in his hand.

"Massive tides of magical beasts have appeared simultaneously across all borders of the Empire, and the major legions are already engaged in battle," Adis said, reading from the reports before shaking his head. "The losses are heavy."

At these words, Bill and Abner were shocked. After thirty years of development, bolstered by the presence of Adis and various divine arts, the legions were far different from what they had been three decades ago. First was the quality of the recruits; to become a formal soldier now required at least the level of a knight. Furthermore, due to the development of divine art applications, the weapons and armor of the army had been universally upgraded to magically-crafted gear. Coupled with Adis’s constant focus on military expansion, the strength of the army was many times greater than before.

If, under these circumstances, Adis described the losses as heavy, the terrifying scale of this magic tide could be imagined. Abner was merely shaken, but Bill, who had experienced the horrors of past tides, felt a chill in his heart, instinctively sensing a crisis.

Seeing their reactions, Adis smiled. "Do not worry too much. This tide is much stronger than the ones from decades ago, but thanks to the defensive lines we have built over the years, we can hold them back. There is no need to fear that they will break through to the interior."

Indeed, in these thirty years, knowing that a tide would eventually return, Adis had made ample preparations. He had constructed such a vast and obsessive network of fortifications at every key position that it bordered on the extreme.

Hearing this, Bill and Abner finally let out sighs of relief, their hearts settling. With thirty years having passed, the various regions were no longer as sparsely populated as they once were; they were now teeming with life. If a tide were to sweep through as it had in the past, the consequences would be unthinkable.

"Bill, issue the order to mobilize the legions. And ensure the local garrison troops are prepared as well," Adis commanded after a moment.

This time, it was Bill’s turn to be startled. "Your Majesty, even the local garrisons must be mobilized?"

Adis nodded. Seeing the hesitation on the faces of Bill and Abner, he waved his hand, dismissing them.