High God?

Below the God-level, if one comprehended "Unity of Heaven and Man"—in other words, grasped a trace of the Profound Mystery of Laws—they could break through their shackles at the peak of Level Nine and enter the Saint Domain.

Comprehending thirty percent of the Profound Mystery of Laws counted as the middle stage of the Saint Domain.

Comprehending fifty percent of the Profound Mystery of Laws meant the late stage of the Saint Domain.

Comprehending ten percent of the Profound Mystery of Laws counted as the peak of the Saint Domain.

Comprehending ninety-nine percent of the Profound Mystery of Laws meant one was the strongest beneath the God-level.

This realm was also known as the "Saint Domain Limit."

Ceres, Emperor of the Frost Snow Empire, had sensed on Locke an aura of more than fifty percent comprehension of the Profound Mystery of Laws.

In other words, Locke now counted as a late-stage Saint-level Expert.

"With your strength, you can serve as a legion commander."

"Twenty-odd years ago, the Fifth Legion, newly formed by my Frost Snow Empire, was destroyed by the Temple of Light."

Locke fell silent.

He had been one of the members of the Fifth Legion in that battle over twenty years ago.

If he had not possessed some capability, he might have been wiped out alongside the main force.

"Over these years, I have formed another legion, preparing to attack the Temple of Light and reclaim the territory it occupies."

"A new legion?"

Locke raised his head and asked Ceres in confusion, "But Your Majesty, I have not heard any news of the Empire forming a new legion over these years."

"Forming a legion is itself a signal of an attack against the Temple of Light."

"In truth, before I sensed your presence, I had been extremely hesitant about forming this legion."

"Thus, I had the commander of the new legion transfer personnel from other legions to form it, rather than recruit soldiers on a large scale."

"I see."

Hearing Ceres say this, Locke came to a realization.

If they transferred personnel from other legions, they truly could form a new legion without large-scale recruitment.

Moreover, this new legion was made up of many elite soldiers. In terms of combat strength, it was far stronger than the Fifth Legion from over twenty years ago.

It seemed that His Majesty the Emperor had not taken the destruction of the Fifth Legion so lightly after all.

Ceres stood with his hands behind his back and said to Locke, "Locke, do you know how the Fifth Legion was destroyed over twenty years ago?"

Locke shook his head.

At the time, he had merely been a military mage accompanying the Fifth Legion. How could he possibly have known how the Fifth Legion had been destroyed?

All he knew was that, during one battle between the army and the Temple of Light's knight order, several forbidden spells had fallen into the Fifth Legion's formation.

Then there was no after.

He had only barely escaped the encirclement of the Temple of Light's knight order by relying on the Heavenly Dance Treasure Wheel's ability to obscure vision.

"Heh."

Ceres let out a cold laugh.

"Because the destructive power unleashed by God-level Experts is simply too great, if the Pope of the Temple of Light and I directly fought to determine victory or defeat, then by the time we finished, the entire continent of the Vakanda Plane would likely have been shattered by us."

"Hiss..."

Hearing Ceres's words, Locke drew in a sharp breath.

Ordinary God-level Experts were certainly powerful, but to shatter the entire continent of the Vakanda Plane in battle required, at minimum, the strength of a High God.

If Ceres was not boasting, did that mean both Ceres and the Pope of the Temple of Light were High God-level Experts?

Locke immediately steadied his mind and focused on listening to His Majesty Ceres's account.

"Thus, the Pope of the Temple of Light and I made an agreement."

"Experts above the God-level may not interfere in war."

"The agreement stipulated that whenever either the Temple of Light or the Frost Snow Empire produced a Saint-level Expert, that side would gain one opportunity to launch an offensive."

"Of course, a newly advanced Saint-level Expert could also choose not to launch an offensive. In that case, if they came under attack, they would be allowed to participate in the war and retaliate."

"Over twenty years ago, a newly advanced Saint-level Expert emerged in my Frost Snow Empire. That Saint-level Expert wanted greater territory, so he formed the Fifth Legion..."

"Who would have thought that those bastards from the Temple of Light had secretly hidden two Saint-level Experts, who ambushed and killed the Saint-level Expert of my Frost Snow Empire..."

"..."

This was also the first time Locke had heard of such a thing.

However, it was within Locke's expectations.

After all, if the Saint-level Expert within the legion had not been killed, how could those forbidden spells have fallen upon their own legion's formation?

"Five years ago, another Level Nine expert of my Frost Snow Empire, Bolton, successfully advanced into the Saint Domain. His choice was likewise to form a legion and attack the Temple of Light."

"However, this time, I had him wait a while longer."

"I thought that if we waited a little longer, perhaps a miracle might occur. Perhaps my Frost Snow Empire might produce a second Saint Domain Expert."

"Now, it seems my luck is quite good."

"Just as the new legion was completed, I discovered you."

Locke pursed his lips.

He had never expected that what led to his discovery would be one of His Majesty the Emperor of the Frost Snow Empire's "expectations."

As though he had seen through Locke's thoughts, Ceres smiled. "Little fellow, don't be so unconvinced."

"Even if I had not been expecting a new Saint Domain Expert to emerge this time, every hundred years, I would use my Spiritual Sense to inspect the Frost Snow Empire for magical beasts or humans breaking through into the Saint Domain."

"After all, I did not create a nation in a Material Plane as a joke."

"If an uncontrolled Saint Domain Expert appeared within my nation, I would send them out of the Vakanda Plane."

"Even if you escaped this time, I would discover you within twenty years at most."

"Only, at that time, you would face my forced expulsion."

After hearing Ceres's words, Locke let out a breath.

Sure enough, he was still too young.

Locke was not certain that he could break through to the Divine Domain within twenty years.

By then, if he were expelled from the Vakanda Plane, he would face near-certain death in a God Plane or Supreme Plane.

Looking at it this way, being discovered by Ceres this time was not so unacceptable after all.

After all, in a sense, he had now been "cleared."

"Your Majesty Ceres is merciful."

After bowing deeply to Ceres, Locke asked, "Then, Your Majesty Ceres, I am willing to offer my strength in service to Your Majesty."

"Hahaha, good!"

Ceres laughed heartily and patted Locke's shoulder several times.

"Locke, I now appoint you as the commander of the Sixth Legion, the Tsunami Legion."

"The Tsunami Legion's garrison lies in that direction."

"Once you have fully taken control of the legion, lead it through Bidia Territory and reclaim the land we lost over twenty years ago!"