Sun Fei's only worry was that Chief Artest of the Pig Clan was clearly a heavy drinker with a low tolerance for alcohol; he was already showing signs of intoxication after only a small amount. In his state, commanding the giant goose to fly would be tantamount to drunk driving—wouldn't Lianna get lost or crash into the sea?
"Don't worry, Lianna has an exceptional memory and will remember the return route. Her speed is unmatched even by True God -level experts, and given the extremely high altitude, the sea beasts below pose no threat. Everyone just needs to rest and recuperate; we should arrive in a day at most."
High Priest Fox said with a smile.
At the same time, in the Southern Frontier of the Zenit Empire, in the Gulf of the Byzantium vassal state.
It was a sunny day with a gentle breeze.
Blue skies and white clouds, the chirping of seabirds, white sand beaches, and lush green trees—the beautiful scenery is truly breathtaking.
The Zenit Kingdom of Byzantium, one of the first-class vassal states in the Southern Frontier Zenit, is holding its annual grand festival to worship its ancestors and the sea god.
People dressed in their festive best, with satisfied smiles on their faces, crowded onto the harbor shore.
Laughter and cheers filled the festive air.
In the distance, the brightly armored royal guards maintained a road paved with red carpet, stretching from the distant palace to the harbor. More than a hundred giant warships were moored in the harbor waters, flying the Kingdom of Byzantium royal flag and demonstrating the powerful military might of the Kingdom of Byzantium.
The Byzantium had no reason not to be overjoyed during this grand festival.
Because they have ushered in a peaceful, happy, and stable life.
A year ago, when the Lyon Empire launched a massive invasion, the entire Kingdom of Byzantium fell, and the Southern Frontier of the empire became scorched earth. At that time, everyone lived a precarious existence, fleeing from place to place, wives and children separated, families destroyed, and corpses of the starving littered the roads. Life was like Hell, and everyone was plunged into despair and numbness.
While the imperial nobles abandoned their people and fled, the great Byzantium dynasty of Constantinople never relinquished its rights to peace and territory.
The benevolent and powerful King of Byzantium Constantine was a beacon of hope for countless Byzantium and even the people of the Southern Frontier border of the empire during that dark period.
It was this young King, with his formidable military prowess and personal charisma, who cared deeply for his people and fought against the invaders during that precarious era.
Unfortunately, the powerful enemy was clearly not something a small, subordinate King could Resist.
Even the main battle legion of the Southern Frontier border of the empire was routed. Facing the sixth-level Lyon Empire, Constantine was, after all, just the King of a vassal state. How long could he hold out?
At the critical moment, King of Chambord Alexander, the greatest vassal King in the history of the empire, emerged out of nowhere. With his unparalleled military prowess, he led the Chambord reinforcements, saved the Kingdom of Byzantium, and changed the situation on the Southern Frontier of the empire.
Many Byzantium still remember that night of intertwined light and darkness, when the powerful navy of Lyon arrived, how King of Chambord pulled them from the abyss of despair, utterly crushed the pride of the Lyon, defeated the arrogant and overbearing King of Buckingham Lloris Lyon, and saved them.
The King of Chambord and the King of Byzantium are two names that countless commoners in the Southern Frontier borderlands of the empire are deeply grateful for.
The story of the two great vassal King joining forces to defeat the Lyon had become a legend in the mouths of bards and in the minds of the people in just over a year.
Now, with the support of Chambord City, Kingdom of Byzantium has become the most powerful vassal state in the south of the empire, possessing military strength that even the people of Lyon dare not underestimate, and people have returned to a peaceful and tranquil life.
Over the course of more than a year, the wounds of war have gradually healed.
The diligent rule of the King of Byzantium Constantine gave all his subjects a glimpse of the dawn of happiness and victory.
Today is the first holiday since the end of the war.
Everyone was celebrating.
Finally, when King Constantine and Queen Elizabeth of Byzantium emerged from the palace, surrounded by guards, the entire port was engulfed in a frenzy of excitement.
Although King of Chambord Alexander of Constantinople is far less well-known and legendary than his predecessor, this does not diminish the people's affection for this respectable young King.
The handsome King and beautiful queen walked gracefully down the red carpet, bathed in golden sunlight, waving to their people—it was undoubtedly a fairytale scene.
As planned for the celebration, Elizabeth of Constantinople arrived at the edge of the harbor and boarded the most powerful warship of the Constantine Empire.
Here, the King and Queen met with the kingdom's ministers, envoys from Southern Frontier border countries, and the most important guest—the Minister of the Navy of Chambord City, Luffy, the direct Luffy of the King of Chambord, and others. After exchanging pleasantries, they used a magical amplification array to begin their exciting speeches.
The frenzied noise and cheers gradually subsided, and everyone looked up with satisfied smiles, awaiting His Majesty the King's speech.
Constantine smiled at his beautiful wife and guests, and had just opened his mouth, but hadn't yet uttered his first word...
Just then, a sudden change occurred—
A piercing alarm suddenly rang out from the distant sea.
Immediately following, the deafening roar of battle echoed from afar, punctuated by a piercing shriek. Sparks and thick smoke trailed as the Mars exploded in the sky, revealing a blood-red pattern of clashing swords.
This is the highest level of warning.
This means that a powerful and terrifying enemy is attacking.
Everyone's expression changed.
A look of seriousness immediately appeared on Constantine's face.
All the elaborate rhetoric prepared beforehand condensed into a single sentence. "Citizens of the kingdom, do not panic! Prepare to evacuate, as per the blood-red alert drill."
The pattern of clashing swords in the color of blood signifies the arrival of the highest level of danger, perhaps even the threat of national annihilation. Evacuating civilians is the first priority.
At this moment, King of Byzantium Constantine had to be thankful for the advice provided by the King of Chambord. The royal city had already rehearsed evacuation plans for similar situations more than a dozen times, and the results were evident. Even in the face of sudden change, the large number of people on the shore, though panicked, did not panic and began to evacuate in an orderly and efficient manner.
The Kingdom of Byzantium was the southern gateway to the Zenit Empire, making it extremely likely to be ravaged by war. Sun Fei's foresight and arrangements played a decisive role at this moment.
As the civilians were evacuated, the military strategist began to operate methodically.
More than a hundred warships began to sail away from the port at an extremely fast speed, forming battle formations. On land, the army also defended the various fortresses and prepared for battle.
"Who on earth dares to invade the Zenit Empire again? Could it be those damned Lyon people again?"
Third update.
( novel)