513 Chapter 513:- Annexation of New Territories [I]
Meanwhile, Aditya had arrived inside the church within less than two seconds. With his new speed, it was easy for him to get past everyone that was trying to buy time for the pope and the mysterious man. As soon as he got inside, he spread his senses to locate the pope and the mysterious man.
"Shit!!!! I was too late. They already have reached the teleportation array." Aditya moved as fast as he could trying to catch up and prevent both of them from teleporting away. Once these two teleported away, it would be impossible for him to catch them ever again. Not only Aditya would lose the Holy Pope but he would also lose his chance to catch one of the inner-circle members of the organization.
Once Aditya arrived at the teleportation array, he was surprised to see the mysterious man waiting for him. The 9 circles made the teleportation array was shining brightly; showing that the teleportation array was active and was ready to teleport the mysterious cloaked man away to his desired location.
"No time no see, Aditya.....or should I call you Dragon Monarch now...?" Hearing the familiar tone Aditya immediately recognized this man. This man was the one who managed to get away from his hands. He, the White Dragon King, and a few others were responsible for releasing the Snake Sage. In exchange for releasing the Snake Sage, he and his group asked the Snake Sage to defeat the Titan Guardian who guards the Forbidden Treasure Land. Simon is the core member of the The League of Black Tomb organization. Simon is the one who leads the inner members to start the war between the Northern Frost Dragon Empire and the Southern Frost Dragon Empire so that there will be enough sacrifices to release the Snake Sage who has been imprisoned for ages now. The war was nothing but a tool to make sacrifices.
The League of Black Tombs used the white Dragon King, Jay, who was one of the inner members of the organization to start this war. Later Aditya killed Jay along with a few other inner members, and he took one of the inner-members as his prisoner. The only one who managed to escape from Aditya using a teleportation crystal was Simon, the core member of The League of Black Tomb.
"The one who managed to get away......." Aditya paused as he still didn't know Simon's name. No one told him his name before. He knew him as the core member of The League of Black Tomb.
"It's Simon Lloyd........it's a pleasure meeting you again...Your Highness..." Simon said to Aditya in a mocking tone.
"What do you want?" After their last confrontation, neither Simon nor The League of Black Tomb did anything to Aditya or his Empire. This entire time he has been worried about this mysterious organization. Because of the organization, Aditya has been working hard to increase the Istarin Empire's overall military powers.
"You will know very soon," Simon said with a smile on his face. The last time, he and Aditya fought, Simon ended up losing one of his arms. And to this day, he has been holding that grudge and has been dying to repay the favor back to Aditya. And he was going to do it very....very soon.
"Farewell, Your Highness. You shall meet each other very soon. Sooner than you think.....Hahaha...!!!" While laughing, Simon teleported away leaving Aditya completely alone at the church.
The appearance of a core member of The League of Black Tomb, and an old foe someone who is clearly looking for revenge here made Aditya feel uneasy. He had a feeling that Simon was going to do something crazy this time. Although it made him frustrated to admit it, The League of Black Tomb had more information and knowledge about the unknown things than he did. The organization knew what Aditya didn't know. For example, no one except for The League of Black Tomb knew that the Snake Sage was imprisoned in the Southern region. And they only knew how to free the Snake Sage.
"Your Majesty...." Amber who had just finished dealing with the forces from the church came to Aditya. With her current powers, it was really easy for her to kill them. She took some time to enjoy torturing these people who called themselves the Saints and the representation of light. She looked around and could not find anyone. The entire church was empty. There was no one in the church. All of the members were killed while the senior members who did escape were killed by them. Only the Pope now remained alive.
Aditya didn't say a word. He turned around and walked began walking away. "Let's go...." Amber could tell that something happened here that was heavily worrying him.
Amber didn't say a word. She silently followed him from behind. As both of them exited the church, they met Nathan along with 100,000 troops of the Istarin Empire behind him. All eyes were on the Istarin Emperor. The troops secretly wondered who was this woman following the Emperor. She looked somewhat like the 5th general and 5th Division Captain Amber. Some were able to recognize Amber and wondered what had happened to her.
"Your Majesty.....I am here with 100,000 troops as you ordered." Nathan said in a low tone. He clearly looked awkward. Nathan was more suited to work in the darkness. Taking on such a role put him into the spotlight which he did not feel comfortable doing but since his Monarch had ordered him to do so he was going to lead the troops regardless of how he felt.
"Nathan, send the shadow guardians to take the wealth of the church and bring it to me." Aditya was about to say something more when he and others noticed a large crowd of people approaching them with hesitant looks. They looked afraid of Aditya and hesitant to approach him.
Aditya turned to the crowd who approached him and stood 50 meters away from him. He remained silent and waited for the crowd to say what they wanted.
As the crowd collectively lowered their heads in a deep bow, the air was thick with a sense of desperation and surrender. "Please... allow us to become a part of the Istarin Empire," they pleaded in unison.
Witnessing this, Nathan, Amber, the shadow guardians, and the 100,000 troops were all struck with a profound sense of shock and bewilderment. Their eyes widened, and some even exchanged puzzled glances, struggling to wrap their minds around what they were seeing.
Aditya, however, was quick to grasp the undercurrents of this startling display. He recognized the depth of the people's despair. Ever since the exposure of the church's heinous acts, their faith had been shattered. Add to that the internal strife within their own Empire, caused by the warring children of the white dragon king, and it became clear why they felt so cornered. Their empire had been plunged into civil war, where ordinary people had borne the brunt of suffering. Their lives had been filled with insecurity, poverty, and ceaseless conflict.
Word had spread that the territories annexed by the Istarin Empire had undergone remarkable transformations. Jobs were abundant, people had roofs over their heads, and food was plentiful. Crime rates had plummeted. The general quality of life had been elevated to new heights. Newly formed middle-class families began to flourish in these lands, enjoying safety, stability, and an absence of corruption. Soldiers and officials of the Istarin Empire were seen as protectors, not oppressors.
So, for the weary citizens of the Northern Frost Dragon Empire, this wasn't just about shifting political borders; it was about seeking a life worth living. Being absorbed into the Istarin Empire wasn't just a best-case scenario—it was their only glimmer of hope. They envisioned a future where their children could play in the streets without fear, where jobs were more than just a dream, and where the days of being crushed under the weight of tyranny and corruption would be left far behind.
In their hearts and minds, joining the Istarin Empire was more than a change of flags; it was the doorway to a better existence, free from the agonizing hardships they had known all too well. As they bowed before Aditya, it was clear that their plea was driven by a collective yearning for peace, prosperity, and a life finally worthy of living.
With a stern expression that mirrored the gravity of the moment, Aditya stepped forward, towering above the crowd like a sentinel of change. "Listen carefully, everyone. From this second on, I, Aditya, Emperor of the Istarin Empire, lay claim to all the lands and people of the Northern Frost Dragon Empire. Let this message echo across every corner of this realm."
His voice was imbued with an unwavering resolve that penetrated the air, making it clear that he was not one to be taken lightly. "If you stand against me, consider yourselves my enemies. If you lay down your weapons and pledge your loyalty, your lives will be spared. But mark my words—if any of you dares to lift a weapon against the sovereignty of the Istarin Empire, know that you will meet your end swiftly and without a hint of mercy."
Aditya was keenly aware of the contentious landscape he was stepping into. He knew the children of the white dragon king were locked in a petty and destructive power struggle over the throne. These squabbling heirs, fueled by arrogance and stubbornness, were unlikely to bow down easily. But Aditya's declaration was also an open invitation for them to reconsider their stance, to weigh the dire consequences that would befall them if they chose to persist in their defiance.
This was no mere act of bravado. Aditya was issuing a final warning, giving those power-hungry nobles and war-mongering heirs a clear choice: either embrace a new era of peace and prosperity under the Istarin Empire or face a grim future carved out by their own foolish pride.
Once the announcement was made by the Istarin Empire, the crowd was overjoyed. All of the crowd to their knees and greeted their Emperor.
"All hail the Emperor of the Istarin Empire!" they chanted collectively, their voices tinged with joy and relief.
With a gracious wave of his hand and the hint of a satisfied smile gracing his lips, Aditya acknowledged their cheers.
Turning his gaze back to the crowd, Aditya felt a deep sense of responsibility settle within him. The Northern Frost Dragon Empire was now under his rule, and he was fully committed to this new chapter of governance.
"Nathan, relay a message to the military forces of the Northern Frost Dragon Empire," he continued, his voice taking on a stern yet fair tone. "Tell them they have options. If they lay down their arms and pledge allegiance to the Istarin Empire, we will retrain them and welcome them into our own ranks. However, if they decide to defy us, they will be met with the ultimate consequence—death. And for those who wish to step away from the life of a soldier, they are free to retire and live as ordinary citizens in this newly annexed territory."
Aditya was crystal clear in laying out the terms. For the military forces of the now-defunct Northern Frost Dragon Empire, the choices were laid bare: embrace change and find a new purpose under a benevolent ruler, or cling to old loyalties and face inevitable destruction.
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