Time slipped by like water, and eight months passed in the blink of an eye.
As the Pioneer Alliance advanced, the northern stretch of Valagajudi's eastern shore had been fully incorporated into the Empire's territory. Only more than twenty thousand square kilometers in the south remained occupied by magical beasts, becoming the final shadow that was difficult to overcome.
After several rounds of negotiations, the Pioneer Alliance and the Lesser Pioneer Alliance finally reached an agreement—they would no longer continue expanding southward.
The Lesser Pioneer Alliance established an outpost town called Vala Beast Town in the territory they occupied. It served as both a barrier and a convenient point from which to observe the movements of magical beasts.
At the same time, a project symbolizing the Empire's control was quietly completed.
The airship route directly connecting Fortress of Will to Valagajudi's eastern shore officially opened.
With Count Austin acting as mediator, Ang accepted the agreement and received fifty thousand magic crystals from those who had opened the route as compensation.
This meant that the Pioneer Alliance and the Lesser Pioneer Alliance's "nominal respect" for Ang had also come to an end.
With the eastern shore's abundant resources no longer being transported through the western shore, only ordinary adventurers and Demon Hunters entered and exited the western shore sporadically.
But Ang did not care in the slightest—his gaze had long since fallen upon a more distant goal.
At that moment, Ang's army had gathered at the northern foot of the Milaginbi Mountains. The recruits, nourished by magical rice and put through systematic training, were conducting intense yet orderly prewar drills.
Two-thirds of the recruits had successfully cultivated Qi force and reached the level of Junior Squire. The rest were steadily progressing as well.
All of this greatly pleased Ang.
To ensure