n

n

n

n109 Varying Reactions

n“Your Majesty!”

nThe guard suddenly called out as Maximus suddenly lost consciousness.

nFortunately, Maximus had already walked off to the podium, so the people in the empire didn’t see it.

n“Don’t crowd!” Doran, the chief minister, suddenly said.

n“Take His Majesty to the quarters,” he added.

nBefore Maximus lost consciousness, he sent a telepathic message to Doran, urging him not to panic.

nMoreover, knowing that it was only a mechanical puppet, he didn’t worry too much and only thought that Maximus had something important to do.

nWhile Maximus was unconscious, a shockwave spread throughout the world.

n…

nCursed Continent, Helmsworth Empire.

nEmperor Julius sat on his throne, overlooking his entire domain.

nHe was a Griffin father, a Tier 6 battle mage.

nJust now, he had heard all of Maximus’s announcements.

n“I can’t believe that I can witness this era in my lifetime.”

nYes, this world-shaking event happened before, it was called the era of Imperial Domination.

nAn era he had only read about in history books.

nAn era where only one empire stood supreme.

n“Sigh, I only hope that the Helmsworth family can survive this ordeal.”

n…

nIn the Westle Empire, Cursed Continent.

n“Hahaha, I, Emperor Khan, will be the ruler of this world!”

nThis proclamation reverberated throughout the entire Westle Empire.

nKhan, who was proficient in history, economy, and politics, had heard of this era.

nAn era where one could rule the entire Cursed Continent.

nBased on the records, this era occurred every other thousands of epochs, producing invincible figures across realms.

nLike the previous ruler of the Cursed Continent thousands of epochs ago.

nHoly Emperor Ashoka, although limited to Tier 8, was said to be able to fight back-to-back with any Apex Sovereign.

nThis earned him the title of the strongest under the apex.

n“I just don’t know why this emperor failed to reach Tier 9,” Khan couldn’t help but ponder.

nIf Valoros knew what he was thinking, he would just sigh in pity.

nThis Holy Emperor Ashoka is indeed the strongest Tier 8 in the world.

nHe is also the closest to achieving his plan of creating an omnipotent god.

nBut condensing the collective will of the people is like advancing to Tier 9 a thousand times simultaneously.

nAshoka exhausted all his lifespan, but he didn’t even come close to becoming an Apex Sovereign.

nValoros can only hope that Maximus will achieve this step; otherwise, he can only retry again after a thousand epochs.

nJust that, Valoros was uncertain whether the Etherium Realm still had time before the abyss came to this world.

nIn the southern part of the Cursed Continent, in the Ethrium Embassy.

n“Sith, it looks like our deal is at a loss,” Kelton sighed at his partner.

nThey had just come back from visiting the Moonlight Empire yesterday.

nNow, hearing such a declaration sent shudders to his chest.

nThey had just promised Maximus to guard his empire for a hundred years, yet now the dark era of the Cursed Continent had begun.

n“Don’t worry too much, I read in history that this era of imperial domination is limited to Tier 6,” Sith comforted.

n“I know, that’s why my chest hurts,” Kelton said with a hint of grief.

n“If only Tier 7 were allowed, then we could justifiably escape.”

n“Now, even if we’re besieged by Tier 6 beings, we can only grit our teeth,” Kelton continued.

n“Oh! How can we be so stupid? Kelton, why were you so naive?” Sith also realized it just now.

n“That cunning Maximus fooled us into signing such a crooked contract,” Sith nearly teared up.

nMaximus had also overlooked this part.

nAfter all, on such a peaceful continent, who would bother to attack his empire?

nHe only signed a contract with these two for assurance.

nBut now, everything is in shambles because of some dark hand.

nSith and Kelton can only suck it up and endure.

nThey only hope that Maximus compensates them for such suffering.

n…

nIn the Origin Domain, Arcane Continent, in Arcana Tower.

n“Oh, Valoros has started it again,” Fealan murmured as he felt what happened to the Cursed Continent.

n“I just hope that fewer would die this time.”

nThe apex sovereigns knew much more about this event than what was written in history.

nAfter all, they witnessed the first to just the recent Era of Imperial Domination.

nAt first, they thought that Valoros was up to something.

nAfter all, besides being the smartest in the world, Valoros is also known as the most scheming man in the world.

nBut as time passed, the first imperial domination, the second… the third…

nAll the emperors that succeeded and conquered the Cursed Continent only reached the pitiful Tier 8.

nIt couldn’t even reach their realm.

nAs for these Tier 8 individuals being able to fight with Tier 9 Apex Sovereigns?

nIt was just newbies fighting each other.

nAs for them, the old-timers who were only one step away from Tier 10, it’s just a bigger ant.

nSo now, these Apex Sovereigns just regarded these activities of Valoros as entertainment.

nThey thought that Valoros was just reminiscing about the past of the Nexus Continent.

nThey also tried to study the mechanism of how the emperor would strengthen as they conquered other empires.

nIt was through the collective will of the people, which is like the power of gods.

nAs for its further effects, they didn’t know, as it would only show its effects after the ruler of the throne reached Tier 9.

n“I seem to remember that the initiator of this era is one of the genius of this Celestial Ascent Path trial,” Fealan thought as he thought of Maximus.

nThinking of this, he only hoped that Maximus can leave this competition and not die.

n…

nMeanwhile, in the City of Arcana, Maximus’ Manor.

nMaximus, who had been unconscious, opened his eyes.

n“Huh? What happened to me?” Maximus questioned himself.

nWhat had occurred this time was truly peculiar.

nRemembering the words he had dared to utter in front of his people.

nMaximus was sure that it was not something he would say.

n“Am I being controlled?” Maximus questioned again, but this time he directed his attention to his system.

nHis system was bound to his very core, so if something had tried to control him, the system should have reacted.

nSoon, he came to understand what had transpired.

nHe had been induced.

nSomeone had amplified his desire for conquest.

nWhile the system could block any form of direct control over him, it was vulnerable to indirect influence.

n“Now, what should I do?” This was Maximus’s foremost thought in the present moment.

nAs he had been uttering nonsense earlier, he realized that his voice had resonated far and wide.

nIt was now only a matter of time before his name spread throughout the entire continent.

n“Fortunately, there are still two protectors that I recently hired,” Maximus couldn’t help but sigh in relief as he thought of Sith and Kelton.

n…

n“Anyway, I need to rectify what happened,” Maximus muttered as he swiftly transferred his consciousness to the Cursed Continent.

n…

nIn the Moonlight Empire, Maximus’s Castle.

n“Where am I?” Maximus questioned as he lay in bed.

n“My room?” Observing the familiar ceiling and furnishings, he confirmed that he was indeed in his own room. 𝗈𝐯xt.𝒪𝐦

n“Your Majesty, you’re awake,” Doran entered upon hearing Maximus’s voice.

n“It’s you, Doran.”

n“Sigh, I’m relieved that you’re awake, Your Majesty. We were concerned that something had happened to you,” Doran sighed.

n“Hmm, how has the reaction been among the people of the empire?” Maximus asked, curious about his people’s response.

n“That… Your Majesty, your charisma is as awe-inspiring as ever.”

n“In short, the citizens of the Moonlight Empire are ready to wield their swords against any obstacle that crosses your path.”

nDoran marveled.

nHe had expected people to protest against Maximus’s arrogant declaration.

nHowever, the opposite had occurred – the people wholeheartedly supported Maximus, as if it were the natural course of events.

nOf course, this should have been the influence of something the moment when Maximus lost consciousness.

n…

nEarlier, just after Maximus lost consciousness.

n“Huh? What just happened?”

nThe people on the podium below reacted.

nThey appeared to have been affected by the impassioned words of His Majesty, unconsciously responding.

nBut upon contemplating the declaration made by His Majesty, it became clear that he had declared war across the Cursed Continent.

nHow could they respond to such a thing?

nWar meant death and hunger, just as they had experienced in the past.

nJust as they were about to voice their concerns, a wave of will suddenly instilled in them a surge of information.

nThis information pertained to what awaited them upon victory in the war.

nFor poor commoners, what attracted them was magic crystals, each worth a thousand gold.

nFor the elderly, extended lifespan was a compelling incentive, potentially granting them more years.

nFor those with modest talents, a blessing in aptitude was enticing, promising to greatly enhance their potential.

nFor emperors, the reward was, of course, the augmentation of strength as they expanded their dominion.

nAll the desires of the people could be fulfilled, as long as they emerged victorious against other empires.

nThis was the incentive Valoros had introduced, making the world more violent, imbued with a thirst for battle, and most importantly, urging them to conquer until only one power remained.

nAs one of the peak Apex Sovereigns, these rewards meant little to him.

nAfter processing the information, a hint of excitement and greed coursed through their very beings.

nThe world revolved around benefits; without them, it could not function.

nNow that these incentives lay before them, how could they resist?

n“We fight for the empire!”

n“We fight for the emperor!”

n“We shall conquer these boundless lands!”

nA voice shattered the silence, igniting their fervor as they joined in the chant.

n“We fight for the empire!”

n“We fight for the emperor!”

n“We shall conquer these boundless lands!”

n

n