The war outside Dream Island continued.
When the five major powers discovered that their first probing offensive could not quickly tear through the Gold Coin Chamber of Commerce's seemingly chaotic yet resilient defensive line.
And that the Gold Coin Chamber of Commerce had not displayed overwhelming combat power.
They decisively began escalating the war.
The five great Spatial Teleportation Arrays suspended high in the sky activated one after another.
Immediately afterward, new forces dropped from the passages.
On the northern front, several even larger warriors emerged first from the Demonkin's Spatial Passage, dark-gold lava patterns flowing across their armor.
They held Flame Greatswords burning with purple-black fire, and their thunderous arrival made the sea sink beneath them.
Surging out alongside them were even greater numbers of Demonkin infantry, as well as a spiderlike Demon Mech Legion powered by fel energy.
In the northeastern sky, piercing dragon cries tore through the clouds from the Skyspine Featherfolk's passage.
A group of larger Feather Dragons with wingspans exceeding a hundred meters charged out first, their riders surrounded by indigo shields of wind and lightning.
Close behind came large numbers of Featherfolk Seers carrying crystals and capable of summoning lightning storms.
They hovered in the air and began altering the weather over a vast area, creating zones of raging thunderclouds favorable to the Dragonrider Corps.
On the eastern front, crimson light blazed from the Emberbone Clan's passage.
Several Magma Core Giant Beasts resembling small volcanoes roared as they squeezed through the passage, scorching magma flowing over their bodies, every breath spewing searing beams of light.
The Ember Remnant warriors following behind carried long flaming whips capable of sweeping area attacks, identified by Analysis as Magmaflame Whippers.
On the southeastern front, several Broodmother Ancient Trees hundreds of meters tall rapidly spread out from the Defiled