Chapter 229: Preparing to Depart

Maztek's most unbearable rainy season finally ended.

In the crisp, clear November, sea breezes from the Ocean brought a chill to the continent.

Maztek's autumn and winter are not like Frelen's, with distinct seasonal changes; instead, the continent's temperature stays around 20 °C year‑round.

Only the southernmost Maztek can see pure white snow in winter.

After the sunset faded, the Golden Legion's main force finally set out at dawn.

A force of fifty thousand soldiers set out from Heim Port, passed through Uratos City, crossed the Death Mountains, endured more than sixty days of sunrise departures and sunset rests, and arrived at Duzula City.

Along the way, the Alliance's remaining two cities were formally seized by the Golden Legion, leaving no room for resistance.

Although those shamans tried to rely on the pyramids to resist the Golden Legion, they did not expect that the one leading the Legion this time was Grand General Kodel himself.

As a veteran powerhouse who had long risen to Legendary status, Kodel's strength showed only a tip of the iceberg in those two sieges.

According to the information Naimi Xisi gathered, Kodel allegedly lifted an entire hundred‑meter‑high mountain peak with his own power and hurled it into the pyramid.

Its terrifying power already surpassed the limits mortals could imagine.

Even Naimi Xisi felt a chill when he heard it. Such power is probably not even comparable to the Ancient Golden Dragon.

No wonder even a Legendary Mage like Boris willingly obeyed Kodel's command and gave up the general's position.

After the Golden Legion secured the two cities, it extended upward from the plateau, and ahead lay the endless Death Rainforest. That was the toughest stretch on foot; beyond the forest lay a fertile, thriving plain, the very location of Duzula City.

Kodel then decided that this would be the Golden Legion's best stronghold in the central region.

The only regret was that upon entering the city, he found the tens of thousands of Duzula troops he had intended to reclaim had vanished.

The city contained only a few civilians and the captives of those tens of thousands of kingdom soldiers.

Naimi Xisi had expected Kodel to cause trouble, but when Kodel learned those Duzula soldiers had submitted, he let them go lightly, which surprised Naimi Xisi.

However, Naimi Xisi felt little gratitude; after all, he had helped eliminate a great foe, two Legendary‑level forces (though both crippled), and 150,000 kingdom troops. If Kodel still dared to settle scores over such a trivial matter, then he—

He couldn't defeat him either, but he would certainly flee first and then look for a chance to retaliate.

For example, secretly using magic to strike, wiping out the Golden Legion's hard‑trained army and then disappearing!

The proud Giant Dragon, holding that mindset, after releasing tens of thousands of soldiers, brazenly reached out to Kodel for a reward.

Regarding his shamelessness, Kodel, in good temper, accepted everything without objection.

"Since that's the case, from now on your domain will enjoy the same standards as an Am Empire colony, okay?"

Regarding Kodel's proposal, Naimi Xisi was somewhat surprised; it was completely different from what he had imagined, yet he gladly accepted.

Kodel's words meant that Naimi Xisi's domain would henceforth be under Am Empire's protection, treated as the empire's own colony, with troops dispatched for defense and naturally enjoying the same benefits other domains receive.

In short, it was like granting Naimi Xisi a noble title of the Am Empire and bestowing a vast fief. The only difference was that Naimi Xisi's domain need not pay taxes.

Although this did not boost Naimi Xisi's personal strength, it saved him the effort of funding future domain development.

Moreover, he also took away tens of thousands of Feather Legion soldiers; all in all, he didn't lose out.

After the matter was settled, Naimi Xisi left Duzula City; he had been stationed there for months, unable to move a step, and was suffocating.

After returning to his own domain, the City of a Thousand Laws—Ock Louis, Naimi Xisi planned to go back to Frelen.

Having stayed here for several years, Naimi Xisi wanted to return to Inbatu to see how his Dependents were developing their influence.

Besides that, Ock Louis's construction had gotten on track, and soon officials from Heim Port will come here to assist Walosang in establishing various legal statutes.

Anlesi Tong's plan to go to the western coast will likely take considerable time to gain a foothold, not to mention the long trek, and the western coast natives are not easy to deal with.

According to Diro Nao, the western coast is occupied by natives called the Koran, who largely worship the rain god Azur Zarthek and also master a secret art called Claw Magic.

Anlesi Tong finding a foothold there is not easy.

!

Fortunately, Naimi Xisi gave him many Scrolls of teleportation; if danger arises, escape is no problem.

As for Gereiro, Naimi Xisi let him accompany Anlesi Tong. A Warrior's path of promotion differs from a Mage's; they are not flowers that can thrive in a greenhouse, but towering trees that need rainstorms to grow. After the baptism of war, this exceptionally gifted youth can achieve greatness.

After settling everything, Naimi Xisi leisurely attended a Throne meeting. He hadn't attended for months due to the Golden Legion's affairs, and Xianai was also too busy to join; neither of them knew what had transpired at the meetings during those months.

As usual, no matter how busy Xianai was, she would still go to see, but the Golden Legion's matters already kept her overwhelmed, let alone a new trouble she faced.

That is, Saifaar intends to return to southern Maztek.

After leaving Duzula, Saifaar hurried nonstop toward the south, hoping to use the Sun God's gift to test whether the southern Black Tide could be restrained.

Xianai also planned to go, but an accident seemed to occur, and she rushed back to Sword Bay, so Naimi Xisi promised to bring her along when he returned.

"We haven't been online for months; I bet that old man Lajate thinks we're dead," Naimi Xisi joked.

Xianai nodded; after months apart she missed them, especially the little girl called Subject 11, whose cuteness made her wish she could have a daughter of her own.

The two produced a gem, and after a surge, vanished on the spot.

Upon arriving at the Throne, Naimi Xisi found Lajate and Fazi already seated at the table, boredly tapping the surface. Seeing them arrive, their eyes brightened and they instantly stood.

"You finally made it! What happened that kept you absent for months like Subject 11? I was so worried," Fazi complained.

Naimi Xisi was surprised: the little girl was gone too?

(End of Chapter)