The smoke of Abyssal Summer has completely dissipated, it is late winter, and the last Demon hidden in the mountains was turned to ashes by the dragon's breath.
The aftermath work lasted for quite some time.
The coalition forces of various countries advanced in different regions, cleaning up the remains of Abyss scattered among the scorched earth and ruins. The huge pits and ravines on the ground formed during the war were filled in. The structures of Shatter were recycled and smelted into new building materials and alchemical equipment.
Then, Sacred Aura started rebuilding.
Not just for restoration.
What stood up from the ruins of the war was a stronger empire, and everything was growing, elevating, and extending at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The trauma caused by the war has become fertile ground for new life.
The technical heritage of Holden played an irreplaceable role during this period.
Holden once claimed to be the Lord of the Sky, and its alchemy technology surpassed Atlant. It can even be said that no country in the entire Bernardo can compete with them in this aspect.
This accumulation did not disappear with the fall of the empire.
Holden's Alchemy master, the Sorcerer King's craftsman, and the floating city designers brought their knowledge and technology accumulated over countless years, which were completely preserved as part of the conditions for submission.
At first.
In order to resist the danger of Demon that may break out at any time, Sacred Aura entered a state of combat readiness. Everything was focused on the upcoming war and did not fully accept this knowledge. All energy was focused on preparations and defense.
Now the war is over.
The knowledge and craftsmanship that once supported the operation of Floating City were absorbed, dismantled, and reintegrated with extremely high efficiency by Sacred Aura during the postwar reorganization.
Sacred Aura's alchemy industry technology began to grow explosively.
New furnaces were built one after another, the accuracy of rune engraving increased several times, and the efficiency of material synthesis was far higher than before...
Then, the construction of the high sky began.
Holden once relied on the huge Floating City system to maintain its rule in the sky, and all the people were proud of the aloof Floating City, viewing it as a symbol of status and dignity.
Sacred Aura did not let the sky go.
However, the results of Holden have confirmed that the Sky City may seem gorgeous and noble, but it contains too many risks and problems, and the cost is astonishingly high.
Moreover, dragons are born to soar in the sky and have no obsession with conquering the sky.
For the dragon, the sky is its own backyard.
So, Sacred Aura took a completely different approach.
Satellite.
As time passed, Magic Satellite one after another, dragging silver-white tail flames, soared into the sky from the launch site on the outskirts of Aura Imperial Capital.
They passed through the clouds and finally stabilized at the high point of the sky, embedded in the deep Blue Dragon sky.
Centered on the iteratively upgraded Sanctum.
Many Satellite are woven into an energy network covering Atlant Continent in low-Earth orbit, echoing each other and cooperating with each other, forming a huge and sophisticated whole.
This network was officially named Aura Star Network by the imperial governors.
It is both a communication network and a defense system.
Through the relay of Star Network, any garrison camp can communicate with the imperial capital within a few breaths; two distant cities located at the east and west ends can achieve instant communication.
The consumption is low enough to be completely popular among civilians, and even the most remote villages can afford basic communications.
If war comes again.
Star Network can also be turned into a space-based weapon platform to launch ultra-long-range strikes against enemies on the surface.
Aura warriors who died in the war can transform into Heroic Spirit, throw themselves into Star Network, have their will flow through Star Network, become guardians among thousands of nodes, and continue to fight for Sacred Aura in another way.
After Star Network.
What shocked the ordinary people on the Atlant Continent even more was Cloud Rail.
This is a high-speed track woven from solidified cloud elements, suspended in the sky and criss-crossing.
Compared with traditional roads, it only needs to set up a cloud element stabilizing node at intervals to keep the Cloud Rail path stable in the sky.
This means that Cloud Rail can cross any terrain.
No matter it's high mountains, deep valleys, rivers or vast swamps, it doesn't matter, it can go straight through the steepest Mountain Range, cross the most rapid rivers, and turn natural chasms into smooth roads.
The Cloud Rail train is not as fast as the teleportation array, or the Sky Shuttle empty ship.
However, the construction process of the teleportation array is complicated and expensive. Only a small number of talents can use it. It is a strategic-level resource. The Sky Shuttle airship is similar and requires a large amount of rare materials.
In comparison, Cloud Rail is much simpler.
Even ordinary civilians can use the Cloud Rail train to cross Atlant in a very short time, from one province to another, from the sunrise of the previous day to the sunset of the next, completing a journey that once required a long journey.
Star Network and Cloud Rail.
These two major projects have changed the social structure of Atlant.
Civilians living in West Coast can choose to take Cloud Rail to the tavern in Northern Icefield for a glass of ice beer;
Remote cities can access the educational system of the imperial capital through Star Network, and can listen to remote lectures by high-level scholars.
The most important thing is.
Cloud Rail and Star Network promote daily exchanges between countries.
The barriers between different races and different kingdoms are gradually eliminated, and prejudices are disintegrated in face-to-face encounters again and again.
Human, Goblin, Dwarf...
All ethnic groups can sit side by side in the Cloud Rail carriage and share their stories and food.
In this way, under the rule of Sacred Aura, Atlan States ushered in true unification and great integration.
By the way.
Cloud Rail is not a concept proposed by Sacred Aura.
It was originally proposed by a Alchemist from Holden Resettlement Zone. The thin middle-aged man drew the initial sketch on paper and outlined the basic principles of Cloud Rail.
Sacred Aura's policy has never been to enslave surrenderers.
The empire needs all useful knowledge and technology, and talents who can jointly build it, regardless of which nation or country these knowledge and technologies come from.
Sacred Aura opens its doors to those who are willing to contribute to the new era.
Holden and Sacred Aura did not impose oppressive control on the Holden who had fallen to the earth. Instead, they were given a considerable degree of autonomy and development space, allowing them to retain their own cultural traditions and social structure within the framework of the empire.
Therefore.
When the idea of Holden Warlock was proposed and its feasibility was verified, resources were immediately allocated, and a steady stream of materials and craftsmen were allocated to this project.
Cloud Rail The transportation system was quickly constructed.
Holden's Resettlement Zone also experienced a drastic transformation.
When the war just ended, Resettlement Zone was still extremely crude.
The Holden people who had migrated from the floating city were crowded into temporary wooden houses, staring blankly at the sky that once belonged to them, unable to adapt to the huge gap.
But Holden is Holden after all.
The knowledge and technology they have accumulated are unfathomable. Even if they fall into the clouds, they still have the same things in their heads.
After falling to the earth, not all Holden people were devastated.
Quite a few people quickly adjusted their mentality and began to look for a new foothold.
The birth of the Cloud Rail transportation system is the first contribution Holden Warlock made to the new era. At the same time, Sacred Aura also gave him corresponding generous rewards.
Wealth flooded into Resettlement Zone, bringing construction.
Construction brings changes.
As time goes by, the simple board houses gradually cease to exist, and are replaced by new cities rising from the ground, with tower cranes standing in large numbers, bricks and stones piled up, and new blocks becoming reality piece by piece on the planning map.
The scale is far from grand.
However, at least the city walls are neat, the streets are wide, and the sewer system is complete. There are even several public buildings with Holden traditional spire style built in the center of the city.
Skyvault City, Cloudrest City, Starfall City----
The names of these cities still carry Holden-like pride.
But in addition to Holden people, because of the convenience of Cloud Rail's transportation system and people's curiosity about Holden, these cities also have merchants, craftsmen and adventurers from all over Atlant.
They are attracted by the booming opportunities here and are looking for opportunities of their own.
In addition, after Holden climbed out of the mud, he did not have many rebellious thoughts.
They are a nation that advocates strength and glory.
In the culture of Holden, the powerful should be respected, the conquerors should be given the throne, and the names of the victors should be engraved on the highest stone tablets for future generations to praise.
After the war.
Red Emperor killed Demon King and wiped out all Abyssal Rift's great power, which was widely praised. Bard sang his deeds in the tavern, and children imitated the dragon's breath on the streets.
You know, these Demon are terrible enemies that Holden could not defeat even when they were in their heyday.
But Red Emperor did it, almost by himself what Holden couldn't do even with all his strength. Wherever his dragon wings swept, the crack closed and Demon was annihilated.
This kind of shock broke through the psychological defense of Holden people.
As a result, stone tablets and statues engraved with Red Emperor Pale Star's name were spontaneously erected one after another. Holden people began to be proud of the power of Red Emperor and regarded it as a symbol of Victory and Glory.
Of course, some people still miss the glory of the empire in the past.
But the number of these people is getting smaller and smaller, and their voices are getting weaker and weaker.
They can't make a difference.
The younger generation of Holden people were born on the ground and grew up under Cloud Rail and Satellite. For them, Holden Empire is just a part of history, while Sacred Aura is the reality of life.
In this way, time continues to flow by.
New Calendar In 1976, Sanctum completed the expansion.
In 763, the Aura star chain achieved full coverage of Atlant, and even the most remote wilderness outposts could receive clear signals.
In 1765, the Cloud Rail main line ran through all the key main cities of Atlant, and the branch lines extended to various secondary cities, and the network became increasingly dense.
In 769, the sixth city of Holden Resettlement Zone was completed.
Under the unification of Sacred Aura, Atlant has developed forward at a pace far exceeding that of any previous era in the more than ten years after the war. The advancement of technology and the integration of society are like an unstoppable torrent, washing away the old boundaries.
Outside Bernardo, in the endless deep space.
Two rays of light and shadow intersect among the stars.
One big and one small, every collision is silent.
However, although the vacuum swallowed up the sound, it could not swallow up the glow emitted when the energy exploded. The surrounding darkness was illuminated like day again and again, clearly reflecting the outlines of the two figures in the void.
The human body is like a cast of light, charging forward with two swords.
The sword blade passed by, bringing with it a radiating trajectory of holy light, cutting directly into the giant dragon's scale armor. Wherever the sword blade passed, the void was filled with
Stirring up ripples.
The dragon did not dodge.
He straightened his body slightly and faced the attack with the dense dragon scales on his chest, with a calm posture.
The blade of the sword touched the scales.
Buzz!
A layer of pale and yellow light advanced, but before it could tear the dragon scales apart, it was twisted and turned by invisible forces, slicing to the right, cutting off the huge meteorite silently, and the cut surface was as smooth as a mirror.
The human put away his sword and retreated, his figure suddenly dimming.
He disappeared into the darkness between the lights of Star, and suddenly appeared again the next moment, Eternal Night Sword wrapped around Dark Erosion Power and tilted upward.
The result is the same as before.
The sword edge was deflected, and the sword light turned and slashed in other directions, failing to cause real damage to the dragon.
The dragon's scales seemed to be covered with something.
Intangible, but real.
The swordsman quickly realized this. He adjusted the angle, calculated in his mind the distortion patterns on the surface of the dragon's scales, and then changed the angle of the attack, searching for a breakthrough through constant trial and error.
So.
The special sword light with a pale and yellowish color finally tore through the dragon's scales, and even Dense Body couldn't stop it. The sword blade sank between the scales, leaving a trail of blood.
However, compared to the huge body of the dragon, this damage is nothing.
The swordsman was not discouraged either.
Light and darkness condensed at the same time, two completely different energies came out again and again, and the two swords continued to intersect, weaving into a dense offensive.
There were many wounds on the dragon's body, but it was not angry.
Instead, he grinned, showing his sharp teeth, and then hung quietly in the starry sky without fighting back, only using layers of dense scales to resist the damage from the slashing attack.
Time passed by silently.
Not long after, the swordsman's attack fell again, but it failed to tear the dragon scales apart like before.
At some point, the structure of the giant dragon's scales changed, and the surface was covered with a hollow-like substance. When the sword edge fell on it, it could only tear an insignificant wound, and then the wound began to close and heal.
About half an hour later, the swordsman's figure stopped in the void.
The two swords hang down at the sides, their edges extinguished.
He raised his head, revealing a face with clear outlines and handsome lines illuminated by the Star light.
Reinhart.
Sacred Aura Empire, a powerful swordsman second only to Red Emperor.
Today, he is Immortal Realm.
"Your Majesty, your body is still as strong as ever."
Reinhart raised his head and smiled helplessly.
"My attack can only leave barely bloody scratches on your body----"
"To be honest, it's a bit of a shock."
"When I was Legendary Realm, I was able to break through your defenses. Now that I am Immortal Realm, the gap between me and you is even wider. This makes me doubt whether my progress is progress at all."
No sound can be transmitted in the starry sky.
However, they naturally have ways of communicating, and ideas are directly collided and transmitted in the vacuum.
Garos lowered his head and looked down at the sword marks on his body that were healing at a speed visible to the naked eye, then shifted his gaze and looked at Reinhart again.
These injuries may seem trivial.
But in fact, before Garos Battle Evolution, it could tear the dragon scales apart every time, almost ignoring defense.
"Reinhart, you still have some energy left."
"Use them all and let me see how powerful you Divine Power is."
The dragon said.
Hearing this, the human swordsman smiled bitterly.
"Your Majesty, you are right, I did not use my full strength."
Reinhart said, "But this is definitely not because I overestimate myself and think I can cause any harm to you. The main reason is that I don't dare."
Garos asked, "Why don't you dare?"
Reinhart said, "My Divine Power has just been condensed and is still very unfamiliar. Once I really control it and activate its full power, it might backfire on me."
"The power of light and darkness, once out of control, will tear me apart from the inside."
"I don't have any complaints, but it would be too offensive if I lost control in front of you."
Kill yourself directly?
Is your kid's Divine Power so dangerous?
A sharp light flashed in the dragon's eyes.
He tilted his head slightly, became interested, and asked, "Higher risks often mean greater returns. I have personally verified this truth more than once."
"Reinhart, tell me, what is your Divine Power? What effect does it have?"
Divine Power is the secret of Immortal One.
Not to mention the effect, if the name is revealed, its general type and direction may be guessed. This is extremely private information among Immortal One.
However, Reinhart did not hesitate.
He said in a chant-like way, "Light is not good, darkness is not evil, Light and Dark are all mine, I am Immortal Realm."
"My Divine Power is named, Light and Dark."
He paused, and then continued, "I can transform into light, penetrate any medium that allows light to pass through, and project my body and consciousness to the place where the light shines, but the further away, the higher the cost."
"In the radiant state, I can dispel all external curses and negative gains."
"I can transform into darkness and gather my body from any dark place."
"Whether it's a shadow or the cover of night, it can be the entrance for me to appear."
"Normal attacks cannot target me. I can erode the enemy's energy and physical strength and convert it into my own supply."
Reinhart roughly described the effect of his Divine Power.
Light and Dark.
Even if taken alone, he is not a weak Divine Power, but he has both, and he can accommodate the two opposite poles within himself at the same time.
Divine Power shaped by Reinhart is quite powerful.
This kind of twin opposition Divine Power is also extremely rare among Immortal One.
"The most important thing is that I can combine these two contradictory forces."
"When light and darkness are unified under my will, I will enter Finality State"."
Reinhart said, "In this state, I am immune to all damage. Light and darkness exist in my body at the same time. Life and death are established in me at the same time. And all the damage I cause will be accompanied by stronger Power of Finality."
"If it was a trace before, then Finality State is a hundred strands."
Power of Finality.
The special power produced when light and darkness confront each other and annihilate each other.
Reinhart can create End Arc when he is Destiny Rank, ignoring any defense and causing real damage. Even Garos's body cannot bear it at all. However, he has not really mastered this power and only accidentally touched its edge.
But now, he is starting to really master it.
Garos is also looking forward to it.
Finality is a rare and powerful force, and few creatures Psionic Energy can control it in all worlds.
If this is the first time you face it, you may be caught off guard and be hit hard. Although the probability of encountering such a powerful enemy in the future is very low, as long as you live long enough, the probability, no matter how low, will be infinitely close to 100%.
It's never wrong to have one more means of resistance.
It's best for him to adapt to some Finality resistance. It can be used without it, but it cannot be without it.
"The cost is equally huge."
Under the gaze of Red Iron Dragon, Reinhart continued, "Light and darkness are opposites. It is extremely difficult to make them coexist, and it is even more difficult to make them merge."
"During the integration process, absolute balance must be maintained."
"Once the balance is out of control, the conflict between Light and Dark will cause the power of Finality to burst out of my body, backfire on me, and engulf me from the inside out."
He showed fear and smiled bitterly again.
"If it were you, Your Majesty, you would be able to withstand such harm."
"But I----I'm afraid I will die on the spot and head towards irreversible death. The risk of driving Finality is too great. I don't dare to try it easily for the time being."
Garos also didn't want to see the only one under his command, Immortal One, die suddenly.
He did not force it and said, "You have just mastered this Divine Power. This is just the beginning. I believe that with your talent, it will not take long for you to be familiar with Divine Power and master Finality State."
Reinhart nodded solemnly.
He said, "Your Majesty, I promise you that I will invite you to taste Sword of Finality as soon as possible."
It sounds a bit treasonous for a subject to say such things to the emperor.
However, this is mainly because Aura Emperor is not the normal Dragonkin.
Red Iron Dragon nodded his huge head. "As soon as possible, I'm waiting for this day to come."
The battle in the boundless deep space has come to an end.
Soon after, Red Iron Dragon turned back from deep space and returned to Red Emperor Royal City.
The night is getting darker.
Garos stepped out of the space rift and stood on the Dragon Court high platform.
He lowered his eyes and looked down.
Looking around, Cloud Rail are crisscrossing the sky.
The outline of the Cloud Rail train is speeding on the track, dragging a silvery white trail, starting from the platform of one city, passing through the clouds, arcing in the sky, and then stopping at the platform of another city.
He raised his head.
Looking up, Aura Satellite shines like stars, arranged in an orderly manner on the dark sky.
They form a huge network in low-Earth orbit.
Communication signals are flowing in it, defense arrays are on standby, and the will of Heroic Spirit is flowing in it... The sacrificed warriors have now become part of the stars, continuing to guard the empire they once defended with their blood.
The entire Atlant Continent is thriving and developing vigorously.
The smoke from the kitchen mixed with the steam from the workshop rose into the sky. The lights between the cities were lit up one by one. Every life was moving in the same direction, and every race was growing under the same order.
This is the order Garos wants to see.
Chaos can break the rules and serve as an upward ladder. However, only by building order among chaos can we develop better and longer-term, and truly allow civilization to continue and grow.
At this moment, a familiar voice sounded in my mind.
"Garos, Holden Resettlement Zone have developed very rapidly recently. Their reconstruction speed has even exceeded that of several of our own provinces. There is a thriving scene in those Resettlement Zone."
After briefly explaining the situation, Sorog went straight to the point.
"The representatives of the Holden people submitted a formal application through the governor. They want to establish a country. This matter can be big or small. What do you think?"
Garos looked at the Cloud Rail scattered across the sky, his expression unchanged.
Holden people want to establish a country, which is what he expected.
A nation that once regarded itself as the Lord of the Sky will not be satisfied with living in Resettlement Zone forever even if it falls into the clouds. Sooner or later, the idea of rebuilding the country will emerge from their hearts.
But he didn't care much and said casually, "You can just decide for yourself on this little matter."
Sorog quickly responded, "Holden has a profound foundation. Even if they are now dependent on us, their knowledge reserves and technical talents still exceed those of any of Atlant's subordinate countries."
"It is more beneficial for them to establish a country and serve the empire as subordinates than to continue to exist in the form of Resettlement Zone"
o
"I agree with them to re-establish the country."
Garos said, "Then do it like this."
"Draft charters, grant tributary status, and clarify their obligations and rights."
Sorog responded, "Leave it to me. I will give them a suitable framework that will neither suppress their development nor give them room to cross the line."
Mind Link is not over.
Iron Dragon's voice still had unfinished words, so he paused and continued.
"One more thing."
He said, "The empire is heading towards unprecedented prosperity. Cloud Rail connects the sky, Star Network covers the entire continent, and Atlant has achieved true unification under our rule. This is a situation that we did not expect at the beginning."
"However, although Atlant is large, it is a bit small for the current Sacred Aura.
The territory of the empire has been finalized.
All the land has been developed or allocated, and important resource producing areas have been assigned. Sacred Aura can still develop in Atlant, but the speed of these developments is slowing down and the marginal effects are becoming more and more obvious.
But while development slowed down, the empire's population continued to grow.
Especially the giant dragons, each one is a big resource user and needs land and resources.
"If an empire does not expand, it will begin to suffer from internal friction. This is the law of the rise and fall of empires, and it is not dependent on the will of any life."
Sorog said, "We need new land."
"For example, Theresia Continent would be a good choice. Cantum's vitality has been severely damaged and the country has been closed to the outside world. Those Orc are lingering and there is a vast ocean between us, but this is not an obstacle to us.
Garos narrowed his eyes slightly.
Sorog has actually thought about what he said a long time ago.
When he woke up from his first sleep after Abyssal Summer, he had already set his sights on the distant horizon.
Atlant is Qidian, not the end point.
The dragon needs a wider sky, the empire needs a wider territory, and he also needs stronger power. They are both internal and external, and both are indispensable.
"You're right, I have the same idea."
"However, this matter is not urgent for now, at least wait until I fall asleep."
He said slowly, "In at least ten years, I will start my next deep sleep. Before that, I need to complete some preparations."
Iron Dragon's spirit became a little more excited. "Very good, when you wake up, you will become stronger and invincible. By then, Sacred Aura's Great Expedition plan can be officially launched!"
Sorog Don't forget your original intention.
The strength of the empire still makes him feel most happy and excited.
Garos changed the topic slightly and said, "Before falling asleep, I plan to go to Fey Wilds first."
More than ten years have passed since the summer when Abyss invaded.
He promised Fairy Dragon Naitar to go to Joyful Court, and now it's time to go to the appointment.
"Have you made up your mind?"
Iron Dragon's voice was slightly condensed, a little more solemn. "Garos, my brother, I must remind you that meeting Deity is not a safe thing, or in other words, it is very dangerous.
Garos raised his head, the night sky reflected in his eyes.
"Joyful Court has given you full sincerity."
He said unhurriedly, "Naitar's true form came to block the incarnation of Tiamat for me, and invited me to see Titania. If they had any malicious intentions, they could have attacked Fey Wilds without going around in such a big circle."
Garos goes to Fey Wilds.
If the fairies and gods have any ill intentions, they have too many opportunities to display them.
"Same."
Sorog thought thoughtfully and relaxed his vigilance slightly, "If we can get the support of Joyful Court in the future, Sacred Aura's Great Expedition will also have more confidence."
"Although relying on God means giving up part of the benefits, the whole thing is beneficial to us."
"The blessing of the gods is a necessary bargaining chip among the worlds."
Garos discussed with his blood relatives the reasons why the fairies and gods extended an olive branch to him, and what these gods wanted from Garos.
After some exchanges.
They all agreed that Joyful Court wanted the faith of Material Plane.
After all, the activities of Fae believers in Material Plane are always limited, and they need a powerful spokesperson to open up the situation for them.
The premise of cooperation is mutual benefit.
This also means that if they get the support of Joyful Court, Sacred Aura must at least bring them some benefits in terms of faith, so that the demon spirit only feels that this is a worthwhile deal.
"I never mind win-win cooperation."
"At least, dealing with the Faes is always easy."
Red Iron Dragon stood up from the high platform and slowly stretched his wings.
Cloud Rail crisscrosses each other, like rivers flowing in the sky under the Atlant night.
At the same time, the brief exchange with blood relatives ended.
Red Iron Dragon retracted his gaze, stretched out his right claw in front of him, and opened a crack. Without any further hesitation, he leaped directly into it, his huge body submerged into the crack, and disappeared into the Red Emperor Royal City night.