What is Shurima

Zilean recognized Karya's face at first glance—though this was their first meeting.

It wasn't that Zilean knew the history of the Shuriman Empire like the back of his hand, understanding the appearance of every historical figure, but rather because Karya was the idol of his best friend, Azir.

That's right, few people knew that Azir was a fervent admirer of Karya.

Although he wouldn't usually mention it to outsiders, Azir never hid his admiration for his ancestor Karya when he was alone with Zilean.

This admiration stemmed from the many similarities between the two of them.

Azir was frail as a child, and historical records indicated that Karya was not a powerful Ascended.

Azir aspired to revive the Empire from a young age, while Karya was the primary founder of the Shuriman Empire.

Azir disliked the slavery practiced by the Empire at the time, and Karya had explicitly opposed slavery.

Aside from his personal life, Karya seemed to be everything Azir wished to be.

In Azir's room, the background wall featured a massive relief of Karya. It was a gift Azir had requested from his father at the age of ten and was the most treasured item in his room before his coronation.

As Azir's closest friend and confidant, Zilean saw that relief every day. Karya's face was incredibly familiar.

"No, you are not Karya." After a moment of shock, Zilean firmly shook his head, conjuring a dense barrage of Arcane orbs and sending them directly towards Karya. "His Majesty Karya perished in the Great Cataclysm! Imposter, die!"

"How do you know I'm not?" Karya smiled and shook his head, merely waving a hand to dissipate Zilean's magic into nothingness without warning. "In Shurima, surely no one would go to such lengths to impersonate an old man?"

Zilean faltered at