As pacifist sentiments in the Earth Civilization steadily grew, Muria in Pandora began implementing a long-intended plan: dismantling the Ikon tribes' outdated system and establishing a centralized government. His justification for this unification was the foreign threat. Muria warned the Ikon of Ayarei Forest that outsiders coveted their world's resources and would inevitably return to wage war again.
If they wanted to avoid the devastation suffered by Ikon tribes near the previous forward base, they would have to unite. Only through unity could they reduce casualties and achieve victory in the coming conflict.
With the example of those tribes near the Earth Civilization's forward base, Muria found little resistance in creating a centralized system among the Ikon tribes. The swift acceptance of this monumental change was, unsurprisingly, due to the authority of the most revered entity in Pandora—the Sacred Tree.
Because the Sacred Tree endorsed Muria's plan, there was almost no opposition. So, before sending Dr. Ellen back to her world, Muria had already made significant progress in uniting the tribes of Ayarei Forest.
After Dr. Ellen's departure, Muria summoned his nine legion commanders. While their title might sound grand, each commander led only around two thousand Ikon warriors. Muria's entire army numbered just eighteen thousand, a somewhat disproportionate force for a population of only around 150,000.
"The foreigners will send armies to invade our world again!" Muria addressed his selected legion commanders with a solemn expression. "This time, it won't be a minor incursion like before."
"Great King Ural, do they really possess such terrifying strength? Last time, they deployed so many warships, and you're saying they can send even more?" one commander asked in astonishment.
"How long do you think it takes them to build a warship?" Muria replied with a smirk. "You've seen the simple assembly line we've established on Cloudwatch Peak, producing the armor and weapons you're wearing. In the foreigners' world, they have thousands of such lines and can manufacture warships at a rate of one per day. The ones I destroyed? They've probably already replaced them."
The commanders, sweating at the thought of an enemy capable of producing warships daily, found this hard to fathom.
"Why are you panicking? I'll take them down, no matter how many they send." Seeing their anxiety, Muria scolded them. "I can handle it."
"Exactly. As long as King Ural is here, no amount of their warships can harm us!" the commanders rallied.
"While I do have the strength to protect you, you must also learn to protect yourselves. I cannot be everywhere at once," Muria advised.
"Yes, Your Majesty, we're pushing the soldiers to train hard every day," one commander assured.
"I know," Muria nodded in satisfaction. While Earth Civilization's arrival had disrupted their peace, it also instilled a sense of urgency in the once-lax Ikon, who were now committed to diligent training.
"However, just training soldiers isn't enough. I need to expand my army; eighteen thousand soldiers are far too few!" Muria expressed his dissatisfaction, as this number was absurdly small compared to the forces of even a minor noble in Erathia.
"If Your Majesty wants to expand, many of our people would eagerly join," one commander suggested.
"No, the standard for my army will never be lowered. Those who don't meet the requirements can stay safely in their comfortable homes and craft armor, weapons, and crossbow bolts for the army," Muria refused. Having separated the civilian population from the military, he had no intention of reverting.
"If we can't lower the requirements, then how will we increase the army's size?" one commander asked, perplexed.
"By increasing the Ikon population under my command. The more people we have, the more we can select the finest among them," Muria explained, standing up from his obsidian throne and pointing outside the hall.
"Lift your heads beyond the Ayarei Forest," he said. "Outside, there are many Ikon tribes who still don't know about the foreign threat. Go, warn them of the danger that could cost them their lives, and bring them here!"
Thus began the expansion of Muria's newly established centralized power. He deployed nearly all his forces, even sending half of the Phantom Knights to accompany the main army.
Meanwhile, Muria sent another creature—his increasingly powerful ally, Chaima. Unlike the soldiers, Chaima's task was to subdue Pandora's formidable creatures, harnessing them as an essential part of his defensive strength.
As for Muria himself, he remained stationed at the heart of his kingdom, as a king must. He also had other matters to attend to.
With most of the troops and Chaima away, Cloudwatch Peak was unusually quiet. Muria took the opportunity to visit the Sacred Tree growing on the mountain.
"You're already fully sentient, so why act so rigidly?" Muria remarked, half-jokingly, as he gazed at the Sacred Tree, now a towering twenty-meter-tall giant. The tree's growth was a result of the burgeoning Ikon population residing in Cloudwatch Peak.
At Muria's teasing, the Sacred Tree's willow-like branches rustled slightly, as if responding. Muria could almost interpret its mood: "Here for this again? Fine, get it over with and leave me be."
"Listen, you've confined my true body, not allowing it into this world, which I understand—your world is too small for it anyway. But I only wish to open my demi-plane to let one of my weakest retainers through. That's not too much to ask, is it? His presence would benefit both of us, strengthening your defenses against external threats. His power is minor; he's no danger to the ecosystem. Even if he lost control, he couldn't harm you."
Muria tried to convince the Sacred Tree. His true form was far too powerful for Pandora, so the world's very will refused to allow it. Thus, Muria aimed for a compromise by releasing his weakest legendary creature from his demi-plane.
The Sacred Tree's branches swayed as if in contemplation, letting delicate white light cascade like rain. A moment later, a pure white branch extended down, entwining around Muria's hand, releasing a mysterious pulse.
"I knew it!" Muria's face lit up with a triumphant smile. Behind him, a mirage-like apparition began to take shape, solidifying over time. Within the vision, a half-human, half-serpent figure emerged, exuding a powerful aura that would overwhelm most beings.
"Come forth, my weakest legendary retainer, Shadow of Slaughter, Shivarlind!" Muria called out.
This creature, an alchemical hybrid that had stagnated at the third tier of legend even after centuries, was one Muria considered useful only due to its minimal strength. Yet in this moment, it proved invaluable. Among his legendary retainers, Shivarlind was the weakest, making it the only one able to set foot in this world.
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]