Chapter 5 Part 1 of 1 (Patreon)

Lord Aditya, newly promoted Lieutenant General Pan Kun and Consortium Leader Quan rode to the Alvan Headquarters in a carriage.

Soldiers were marching everywhere. As their numbers had swelled Pan Kun’s rank had grown as well.

A heavy air had fallen over the city, but new buildings were rising and the city seemed busier than ever.

“Where is Miss Evernight?” Quan asked.

“She went ahead, needed to report to the Lords,” Aditya said.

They fell into silence.

What is the plan now?

They arrived at the headquarters and were ushered into the council chambers. Aditya knew of the people that sat at this table. He had only seen a few of them before. Each could control the First Realm by themselves, if they so desired.

Aditya looked at the dungeon core and the beam of power that coursed down, drilling into the ground. Flickering colors illuminated the room.

The people at the table were talking with one another. Evernight walked over to the group.

“Pan Kun, sit behind Commander Glosil, Quan behind Jia Feng, Aditya behind Council Leader Delilah. I will be behind Director Silaz.”

They nodded and headed to their seats, a few other people filed into the room including an undead and a fire imp that sat behind Delilah’s right side and to Erik’s left. Near Aditya.

Chonglu sat next to him and nodded. Matt who had helped to organize the building of King’s Hill sat behind Jia Feng. Elise looked tired as she sat next to Blaze, their staff, like the Military was thin, called away to important tasks.

“Okay, I call this meeting for the future planning of Alva to order,” Delilah said. “Director Elan, could you enlighten us on the current situation?”

Elan stood from his chair.

“Several of the dungeon lord groups from the Seventh and Eighth Realms have descended and are searching for us, as the Associations will be. The Willful Institute might be allied with the Black Phoenix Clan, or not; we do not know. None of them have made any progress in finding out who or where we are. It does not appear that anyone knows of our return to the First Realm. Evernight.”

Elan sat as Evernight stood.

“The kingdoms that attacked us have recalled all their fighters and brought more mercenaries onto their payroll. Other kingdoms are reaching out to us. Trade has started up once again, the kingdoms are neither stopping nor allowing it, they are waiting to see if the Willful Institute will return.”

Elan raised his hand. “There is no indication that they will come back. The United Sect Army is stuck in battle after battle to recover their position in the Mortal Realms.” He nodded for her to continue.

“The kingdoms that attacked us are blaming one another. They are displeased about us increasing our border size but have no plans to make their defiance clear in force. We’ve placed all the blame on the other kingdoms and we have been using that to spread word to others. Protecting our citizens, and the attacks upon us all, the majority of people in the outposts now agree with a unified Beast Mountain Range. Our population grows since we’ve proven our strength and that we care for our people.”

Evernight sat down.

“Commander?” Delilah asked.

“We’re continuing to train all of the reg force units and the reserve units. I hope that we can expand the Special Teams and the Close Protection Details. We need information from the higher realms. They are the strongest and highest leveled people we have, and they can support and be supported by the Intelligence department.”

“Understood. Training is in your realm. I will leave that up to you. Please update me if you need anything else.”

“Certainly. It is also my hope to not only increase the ability of the Alvan army but the Beast Mountain Army. We need more people to defend the newly expanded borders and the routes through the Range. The beasts have gotten stronger.”

“Do it.” Delilah nodded as Yui, and Domonos turned to Pan Kun and talked to him.

“Miss Jia Feng?”

“We increased the number of classes we teach in practical and theoretical methodology and extended overall education so we can teach the children, taking the time burden off their parents. I need to talk to Consortium Head Quan about spreading this to the Beast Mountain Range.” she looked back at Quan who nodded.

Basic education for people in the First Realm? Children will be more skilled than most adults!

“What about cultivation?” Delilah asked as Aditya focused.

“All Alvans will get free cultivation to open their mana gates, including forming their core. They will also be taught to temper their bodies to Body Like Iron while the military will train to Body Like Sky Iron.” Jia Feng looked at Glosil who nodded.

“Good, with the fall of Vuzgal and the withdrawal of the Adventurer’s Guild, our population has ballooned. It will take some adjustment. Our traders are once again traveling through the realms. The dungeon’s floors will be expanded in the coming weeks. We will develop the other floors of the dungeon completely. Now that all our efforts will be concentrated in one place our plans will accelerate. We have planned for this. Now the only thing that we require to keep building is more people.” Delilah looked at Aditya.

“It is our plan to expand the Beast Mountain Range aggressively and increase our recruitment. Everything will continue as normal. Every plan we have come up with to expand the Beast Mountain Range, will now be put into action. We no longer care what the kingdoms think. If you can bring people over, whether they’re peasants or lords, it doesn’t matter.”

“Yes, Council Leader,” Aditya nodded.

“Lords?”

The room grew quiet. Erik and Rugrat looked at one another. Rugrat waved for Erik to speak and crossed his arms.

“In the rest of the realms people think that the power of the individual is the greatest strength. How you get that power doesn’t matter, it only matters who is stronger and weaker. We don’t think the same in Alva. Alva will become a fortress. So ingrained into the First Realm that if someone wants to take it, they would have to destroy the planet. Even with all of our technology and strength we were unable to win against the Black Phoenix Clan. Does that mean we have walked down the wrong path? I do not think so. They were people of the Eighth Realm. They had five aperture heart mana cultivation. Their bodies were as strong as Sky Iron at the highest levels. And, they were all level seventy and above, with peak expert gear, with some masterworks among them. We were using journeyman weapons and gear, the median level of our army was level fifty. They outnumbered us, and still,” Erik stabbed his finger into the desk, scouring those around the table with a look.

“We made them pay for every inch. We retreated in order. We did not flee. We were not routed. That shows discipline and coordination. What if we were all had expert gear; if we all increased our cultivations one or two stages, or we increased our levels to seventy?”

His words hung in the air.

“The Beast Mountain Range will be renamed Vermire Empire. King’s Hill will be the capital. The outposts will undergo alterations to turn them into true defensive cities. Village cornerstones will be placed in each outpost. They will no longer be outposts, but strongholds and cities. Born from their lineage of carving out their living in the Beast Mountain Range, those that prove themselves will join the Kingdom; noble houses and royalty will be abolished. The strongest members might join Alva to be trained and grow further. The Vermire Empire will be in the light, Alva in the dark. Alvans will continue to go to the higher realms, for trade, for work, to expand. The Close Protection Details and Special Teams will spread through the realms, the sword to the Intelligence department’s information. It might take months, or years or even decades, but we will gather our strength quietly until people come to the Vermire Empire instead of advancing higher in the realms.”

Erik sat back. “We can live for centuries, why not use some of that time?”

Vermire Empire, take over the First Realm. Aditya’s hands were trembling. We could do it.

He gripped his hand into a fist as he looked at Erik with heat in his eyes.

“Alva hears and obeys,” Delilah bowed her head.

The others bowed their heads as well.