Chapter 533
The Unified Republic of Romania, A Legendary Warrior Monk from the East
Chapter 533 The Unified Republic of Romania, A Legendary Warrior Monk from the East
The Rhine Plateau, the Crimson Emperor's City.
Inside the magnificent council chamber, representatives from various countries had already gathered.
They were neither diplomatic ambassadors nor special envoys who came with credentials.
They are the kings themselves.
Stellan Loseren, Torifen Chapman, Darius Croan… all the rulers of Romania were now seated in this spacious hall.
These monarchs, who normally held the power of life and death in their own kingdoms, all restrained their royal authority at this moment.
Here, they are very clear about their identity.
All eyes are focused in one direction at the same time.
On the steps at the end.
The Red Emperor sat prostrate on a huge high platform.
He did not unleash his dragon might or make any intimidating gestures. He simply looked down at the people below, his thick, long tail wrapped around his sides, his claws crossed in front of him, his chin resting lightly on the back of his claws, and his dragon eyes slowly sweeping over each face.
It's like a king reviewing his subjects.
The silence lasted for a moment.
"It's a pleasure to see you all here in person."
The Red Emperor slowly spoke: "This is the right choice."
Not long after he finished speaking, Tolliver was the first to chime in.
King Theo adopted a very humble posture.
He leaned slightly forward from his seat, gazing earnestly at the high platform.
"Good day, Your Majesty Ignas."
He paused, as if organizing his words, but there was no trace of deliberation in his tone; instead, it sounded quite natural.
"When Holden’s floating city fell, Theo’s palace trembled. My ministers panicked, my generals requested reinforcements for the borders, and the whole capital was ablaze with lights as everyone talked about it. But I told them there was no need for that."
He slightly raised his head.
"We have Aura, and the great Red Emperor."
He spoke these words calmly, with an air of self-assured certainty. The kings sitting opposite him had different expressions; some nodded slightly, some remained calm, but none showed any disapproval.
"There is only one reason why the countries of Romania have been able to develop peacefully over the past forty years, avoiding being drawn into continuous war and being reduced to ashes in the Dragon War like the spirits of Orotar or the western coastal countries."
"Your Majesty has chosen to maintain stability in this region."
"This is a fact, and everyone here knows it perfectly well."
"But now, times have changed."
Torrefin's tone turned serious.
"Holden has withdrawn from the earth, Middle-earth has opened its gates, and the abyssal fissures are spewing demons. In such a tide, ordinary kingdoms are not qualified to sail alone. Even a behemoth like Holden could capsize, let alone us?"
Theo doesn't think he's anything special that would allow him to remain unaffected by this wave.
He looked up at the red iron dragon on the high platform with awe.
"Only a kingdom like Aura, and an emperor like you, can lead us and guide Romania in the right direction."
Theo understands this.
"Theo will prioritize supporting all your decisions."
These words first praised the Red Emperor, expressing his assessment of the current situation, and then demonstrated his firm stance.
King Theo's attitude was almost obsequious.
The king, who had once been personally captured from the capital by the Red Emperor, had long since become his loyal follower, a fact known to everyone present.
However, no one looked down on him because of this.
the reason is simple.
Over the years, Theo has been developing better and better.
As a vassal of Aura, it paid a price by paying tribute to the Kingdom of Aura, but the Kingdom of Aura did not restrict its development. It even lifted some of the treaties of defeat in the past and gave Theo substantial encouragement and support in terms of trade routes and mineral development.
The Kingdom of Theo is recovering.
This is something that all the people living in Theo can feel.
Moreover, with the passage of time and the continued influence and penetration of the Kingdom of Aura, the people of Theo have basically forgotten their past national and personal grievances.
The younger generation is filled with longing for the Kingdom of Aura, admiring the power of the dragons, and even taking pride in being a vassal of Aura.
Their greatest dream is to go even further and become an even more noble Aura.
The other kings did not underestimate Theo.
They knew in their hearts that if they were in Theo's position, they might not have done any better.
They didn't linger long before joining in the agreement.
"Lothane will obey Aura's will."
"Rypos unconditionally follows Your Majesty's wings."
"........."
The other kings also spoke in turn, expressing their respective attitudes.
No one raised any objections, and no one hesitated or watched.
They had already made up their minds to come to the Crimson Emperor's City and sit in this hall.
After making their statements, the kings did not delay and stepped forward one by one to sign the Romanian Wartime Unification Treaty.
From this moment on...
The Romanian states formally formed a wartime alliance with the Kingdom of Aura as its leader.
"Galcro".
Red Iron Dragon spoke, calling out to his eldest son.
Upon hearing this, the emperor's son, who had been standing quietly to one side of the hall, began to walk.
"Father."
He crouched low before the high platform, his wings folded and his head bowed.
"Describe what you saw."
Red Iron Dragon nodded slightly and said.
Upon hearing the dragon father's words, Garclaw finally raised his head.
He turned to face the other kings, his posture changing accordingly, head held high, chest out, neither humble nor arrogant.
"Gentlemen."
His voice rang out in the hall.
"Following our father's will, we went to Middle-earth to explore and arrived at the crash site of the Floating City."
The kings' gazes narrowed slightly.
Such a swift action?
Legendary figures easily attract attention, and satellite detection methods cannot reach the Middle-earth. Therefore, after receiving Holden's notification, they also sent out some elite scouts to investigate the general situation.
But so far, their scouts have not sent any news back.
Aura has already made a round trip.
The kings gazed at Garclaw, then glanced out of the corner of their eyes at the other dragons standing silently in the hall.
These sons of emperors were all extraordinary.
Regardless of their scale color or any special physical structure, they all remained calm at this moment.
There was no roar from the dragon, no impatient growl; it was nothing like the dragons people knew.
These dragons are the future pillars of the Kingdom of Aura.
Once the first batch of emperor's sons become legends, the overall strength of the Kingdom of Aura will increase dramatically, and as long as the kingdom continues to exist, it will grow stronger over time.
Dragons have such long lifespans that they grow as long as they live, so they don't need to worry about the future.
"The abyssal rift does indeed exist."
Garclaw continued.
"It's a large rift, located below the point where the Floating City crashed. It was probably suppressed by some means of Holden's, but now that the Floating City has collapsed, the suppression has disappeared, and the rift has been revealed. According to our observations, its size allows a Grand Demon to pass through directly, and it is still slowly expanding. If it goes any further, it will be large enough to accommodate a Destiny Legend, or even..."
He paused.
"……immortal."
"Most importantly, the demons are not spreading uncontrollably."
Garclaw's tone became more serious.
“We observed from the outside of the rift that the demons were clearing the area, moving the remains of the floating city, and using them to build fortifications, fortresses and strongholds by combining them with some materials brought from the abyss. They had a clear division of labor and cooperated with each other, and their efficiency was not low.”
He looked at the kings, his gaze unwavering.
"This doesn't fit our understanding of demons. Demons are inherently evil and chaotic. There are only two possibilities for them to be so obedient: either a Grand Demon has already come to the material world and established a command system outside the rift, or there are beings above the Grand level waiting for their opportunity behind the rift."
A brief silence fell over the hall.
The kings' expressions changed, and their gazes became more solemn.
The abyssal rift has always existed on the planet Bernardo.
The nations were not entirely ignorant of demons and the abyss.
That's why they understood exactly what Galcrow's words meant.
Demons are inherently chaotic and extremely difficult to unite.
The fact that they can form such orderly cooperation must be driven by a powerful will.
That means an even more terrifying enemy.
On the high platform, the red iron dragon slowly raised its head.
His movements were slow and deliberate, and every vertebra and muscle group of his forty-eight-meter-long dragon body revealed its dormant power as it stretched. The giant claws changed from a position where the backs of the claws were crossed to a position where they supported his forebody, and the dragon neck was raised, so that his gaze changed from looking down to looking straight ahead towards the hall door.
Or rather, penetrating walls, penetrating mountains.
It was as if it had landed on the crack that was burning, spreading, and expanding across the land of the Middle Kingdom.
The Red Emperor stood up.
When his body fully extended, the light in the entire council hall seemed to dim for a moment, his massive figure obscuring the skylight above the platform. But the next moment, he lowered his head slightly, his gaze returning to the people in the hall.
"Gentlemen, sitting idly by and waiting to die is not the style of the North."
"I, Garos Ignas, King of Aura, Lord of the North, unite the nations of Romania in my name and assemble the Northern Legion—"
He paused slightly at this point.
The Red Emperor lightly raised his dragon claw, pointing to that land thousands of miles away.
"—Marching south, swords pointed at the Central Plains."
His voice, like rolling thunder, echoed throughout the hall, making an unquestionable declaration. The kings raised no objection.
That rift, those demons.
This is a disaster, but also a once-in-a-millennium opportunity—a chance to redraw the map.
In Romania, the only entity capable of seizing this opportunity is now standing before them.
Moreover, such a large abyssal rift exists in Middle-earth, and Holden has made it clear that he will not manage it.
So, if the other kingdoms ignore this mess and the abyssal rift expands, the kingdoms will be the first to suffer. Once the Middle-earth is completely lost, who will be the demon's next target?
Without a doubt, it will be the surrounding area.
To deal with demons in the material world, we must take the initiative and not wait for the rift to spread.
This is a conclusion drawn from countless historical lessons.
Outside the window, the sky above the Crimson Emperor's City was clear, and the sun was high in the sky.
Soon after, the Red Emperor closed his eyes slightly and lay prone on the high platform again, as if resting. The specific affairs and details of the allied forces were being discussed directly between the Iron Prince and the kings.
Just then, an announcement came from the direction of the hall door.
"Your Majesty, an envoy from the Eastern Lands has arrived at the Crimson Emperor's capital and is waiting outside, requesting an audience."
The conversation inside the hall stopped, and everyone turned to look towards the hall door.
"The newcomer is a legendary martial monk."
The attendant who delivered the message was a dragon descendant, and his voice was clear.
He said he represented the alliance of the Eastern nations.
Red Iron Dragon slightly opened his eyes, revealing a thoughtful expression.
The Alliance of Eastern Nations, or ASEAN for short.
This is an alliance of several kingdoms, duchies, and city-states, located on the eastern side of the continent.
Previously, due to the great distance and the vast territory of Holden in between, ASEAN rarely interacted with the North. Trading caravans from both sides rarely had direct contact, and there was almost no official communication between them.
"You came alone?"
"Iron Prince asked."
“Yes,” the attendant replied. “He arrived at the north gate of the royal city on foot, identified himself, and was unarmed and without any attendants. After being checked by the guards at the north gate, he was urgently reported according to procedure. He is currently waiting outside the city and, as you instructed, has been given basic courtesy as a legendary figure.”
Then, hushed conversations filled the hall.
The kings of the North exchanged glances, some showing interest, others lost in thought.
The Eastern Alliance is similar in form to the former Lorthene Alliance, an alliance of multiple political entities led by a particular kingdom.
The center of ASEAN is called the Kingdom of Farrell.
Unlike Lorthene, the Kingdom of Farrell rose to power three hundred years ago and has never had a Chosen One.
Its strongest member is a powerful Grandmaster who is close to the Heavenly Mandate realm. About a hundred years ago, he was said to have tried to break through to the Heavenly Mandate realm but failed. He has survived to this day, and the chance of breaking through again is slim.
Even so, it is still a very powerful Grand Rank, known as the Grand Rank of the Triads.
There was once a Four-Beast Grand Master in Lorthorn.
Listen, it's similar to Farrell's Triad Grand, and both are monks.
In reality, however, the two are completely different and not on the same level.
The Four Symbols Grand Position refers to the Four Symbols Path in the Monk's Path.
The Triple Crown means that one has truly reached the crown level in all three branch paths.
"Star Me, Fate Flow, Sun Soul".
Galos pondered, recalling the known information about this Triad Crown.
Varta Cedric.
He was born with the ability to sense and perceive the existence of "qi," a gifted individual who was born a martial monk.
He initially specialized in the Star Me pathway.
He went very far down this path, until he reached the Grand level, but after that, his progress became extremely slow, almost stagnant.
Therefore, he expanded his expertise vertically and began to explore other related avenues.
The Life Flow path focuses on controlling life energy, enabling it to heal itself and also injure enemies with its energy. The Sun Soul path, on the other hand, compares itself to the blazing sun, possessing extremely strong destructive power.
He reached the crown level in both of these pathways.
He attempted to defy fate by combining three approaches, but failed.
There is a saying circulating in the Kingdom of Farrell.
If they had pursued another Grand Path while holding the three Grand Ranks, they would have had a very high probability of becoming Destiny.
but……
Spiritual practice takes time, and time waits for no one.
When Varta chose to break through, it meant that he felt it was the best time.
Further down the line, the chances of a breakthrough will become even lower.
Human lifespan is limited, and even Grand Rank powerhouses are no exception. If they don't seize the opportunity when it arises to break through, they may never have another chance.
"The Dragon Clan's martial arts style originated from the martial monks."
"There is a lot of relevant knowledge in the inheritance, but it is ultimately not as good as talking directly with a Grand Legend."
Galos seemed to be deep in thought.
He has a long lifespan and can accumulate experience slowly on the path of cultivation, but the experiences of others are still valuable for reference. In the future, he may be able to gain some experience of the Star Self Path from Varta, so as to break through to the legendary level more quickly.
But that's for later.
Now, he needs to meet this envoy from the East.
“Bring in the ASEAN special envoy.”
"Garos said."
Shortly afterward, the hall door opened again.
The person who entered was a middle-aged human male.
He was lean but not thin, with smooth and powerful lines in his shoulders and back, a steady gaze, and rough skin that looked like he had been through a lot of hardship, so he must have been someone who traveled a lot.
He wore a simple gray monk's robe with a cloth belt around his waist, without any decoration, and on his feet were a pair of worn straw sandals, covered with dust from a long journey.
The monk walked to the platform, stopped at an appropriate distance, and bowed slightly.
"Greetings, His Majesty the Red Emperor, and greetings to all the kings."
He expressed his respect.
“My name is Brady, and I come from the Kingdom of Farrell, representing Natacro, hoping to gain the friendship of the Lord of the North.”
Natacro, or Natacro Heights for short.
It is equivalent to the Romanian plains in the north, the territory ruled by the Eastern Turkic Alliance, and the location of the Kingdom of Farrell.
Galus gazed at him.
The monk did not look up, but stood quietly in place, waiting for a response.
"Natakro is separated from Romania by almost half a continent."
"Why did your kingdom send you here?"
Red Iron Dragon asked.
Brady raised his head slightly, his gaze meeting Long Tong's on the platform for a moment before he lowered it again.
"For the future of Atlanta."
Brady said.
He paused, then added, "The kingdoms of Natakro, under Farrell's leadership, have reached an agreement with the kingdoms of Sarud in the Southern Regions to launch simultaneous attacks on Middle-earth from different directions to resolve the demon crisis."
The Salud Desert, the southern region of the Atlanta landmass.
It was a vast desert region, dotted with numerous kingdoms. The kingdoms of the Southern Region differed from those of the Northern Region; they were more adept at surviving in harsh environments, possessed a fierce and tenacious fighting spirit.
However, they, too, have no destiny.
More accurately, across the entire Atlanta continent, apart from Holden, there are no other Destiny beings present now; the Grand Rank powerhouses are enough to dominate any region.
King Lorthorn is the last chosen one on this continent.
After him, those in other nations with sufficient potential either had their potential discovered and absorbed by Holden in advance, becoming Holden's destiny; or they failed to break through and could not go any further.
In theory, all Grand Masters can achieve their destiny, and all Destinies possess an immortal form.
However, this is only in theory.
There aren't many Crowned Beings on the planet Bernardo, but they aren't too few either; Destined Beings are extremely rare, numbering only a handful; and Immortal Beings are found only in a few major empires, and they almost never appear in person.
Galos narrowed his eyes slightly.
He said, "Natakro and Salud have reached an agreement and are here to try to bring the Romanian countries together?"
The monk nodded.
"Holden was once the most powerful Abyss Pioneers, but he suffered a backlash. They have now abandoned the surface. Whatever the reason, Middle-earth has lost one of its most important barriers. I'm sure you all understand that."
He spoke very frankly.
"Moreover, the Central Earth Fissure is not an isolated event."
The monk's face turned serious.
“There are abyssal rifts in the East and the South. They are not as large as the one in the Central Plains, but they are still not to be ignored. I suppose there are the same in the North and the West. Although these rifts are small, they are slowly spreading. Farrell has confirmed three, and Salud has confirmed two.”
He looked at the kings.
Their appearance was not accidental.
“If we continue to fight individually and fail to resolve the Middle Earth Rift in a short time, as the abyssal aura intensifies, other rifts will spread, and new rifts may even emerge. One large rift and several smaller rifts, all spewing forth demons at the same time, no single region can withstand this pressure alone.”
"In the end, Atlantis may be swallowed by the abyss."
His voice was steady, but the weight of his words made the atmosphere in the hall a bit more somber.
“I am here on behalf of ASEAN, not to compete for control of China or to divide spheres of influence.”
"We are here to defuse the crisis before it truly escalates, hoping that the fires of the abyss will not burn through the entire planet."
The ASEAN envoy looked up, his tone shifting slightly.
"As for the distribution of the entire Middle-earth continent after that, Farrell will not give up, nor will he give up the entire ASEAN. I believe that you in Romania have the same idea. At that time, we will compete fairly based on our own abilities, provided that we have dealt with the demons."
Upon hearing this, the kings of the North looked toward the Red Emperor.
Given this dragon king's modus operandi, would he agree to such a cooperation?
This may determine the future of Atlanta.
(End of this chapter)