It was an unusual day on a massive planet with a deep reddish hue. The planet didn’t rotate, leaving one half in eternal daylight. This was the main planet of the Empire of Natural Harmony. But today, harmony felt far away.
The nine races and all the cultivators could sense the heavy atmosphere. The air vibrated with tension, and a dark aura of fear hung over everyone. In a distant region from the imperial city, powerful figures stood on a red battlefield.
The ground was stained with blood, bodies scattered everywhere, and the thick, palpable Yin of death filled the air. On one side were thousands of cultivators from various backgrounds; on the other, the soldiers of King Chromaraic Deion.
However, at that moment, there was no fighting. The two forces were at a standstill, a pause filled with expectation, as a figure had arrived to tip the balance: King Deion.
Everyone knew of his strength—he could handle the rebels alone. With his army, the fight seemed already lost for the opposition. Yet, the rebels gripped their weapons firmly, their eyes determined not to retreat.
The King stepped forward, calm and serene. He wasn’t tall, even short for a Chromaraic, but his long-colored hair and strong physique made his presence impose silence on the battlefield. The sound of blades stopped, but the tension in the air remained.
"Please, calm yourselves!" the King’s voice echoed with authority but without aggression. "I don’t want more bloodshed. What I want is a united, stable empire where our races can live in peace."
His gaze swept over the rebels. He didn’t see them as enemies but as subjects, people who needed protection. Still, five wounded figures, representatives of five distinct races, snorted in disdain.
"We won’t back down," roared a Fiendgod, its black quadruped body and long wings shaking. "We’d rather be free and live our way. If we have to die today, it’ll be fighting for our freedom."
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The King sighed, remaining calm: "I understand many of you wish to live as you please, and that’s fair. But for peace and stability, we all have to make sacrifices. All races must unite and support each other. Only then can we ensure survival and prosperity for everyone."
He barely finished his words when the rebels began to protest again, their shouts echoing through their ranks. An Immortal Lotus woman, her voice filled with indignation, spoke dryly:
"That will never happen. We have our own way of living. Your unity will suffocate our existence. We can’t trust a king who tries to dictate how we should live."
Up until then, the King had kept his composure, but upon hearing these words, he clenched his fists. His previously calm face twisted with restrained anger: "I’ll say it one more time. I am not your enemy, and I don’t wish to harm you. But no one can do as they please, ignoring the greater good. The races need to support each other; only then can everyone prosper."
The rebels’ shouts and protests intensified, turning the battlefield into a whirlwind of rage and resistance. The King took a step forward, his eyes fixed on the five leaders, whose faces showed they wouldn’t budge.
"Enough!" the King roared seriously. "You talk about freedom, but what you want is chaos! You prefer to live separately, without order, without a clear path. You’re willing to sacrifice everything for a narrow view of freedom, even if it means destroying the empire! If you won’t listen… then I’ll force you to bow, even if it takes blood!"
A momentary silence fell over the field. The only sound was the weapons being drawn from their sheaths, vibrating in the tense air. The rebels’ eyes were still full of fury and determination. To them, what the King saw as order and unity was nothing but oppression and control.
Among the rebels were Aberrants, Fiendgods, Deepmonsters, Immortal Lotuses, and Yggdrasil Trees—ancient races tied to nature and the beast cycle. To them, freedom and autonomy were worth more than any offer of peace.
"So be it..." the King said, signaling. His soldiers sighed, preparing for the slaughter, but all wondering if it was truly worth it.
Meanwhile, distant observers sent messages and prepared for the aftermath. The entire event would be recorded and spread across the empire. After that day, even the neutral population would rise against the outcome. Peace would no longer be an option for anyone.
"KILL!"
War cries echoed, and both sides roared in unison, charging. The King drew a heavy spear and, with a snort, rushed directly at his opponents.
He didn’t want to do this, and throughout his reign, he had avoided deaths or battles as much as possible. His actions had always been controversial, and his ideas never fully implemented. But now was the golden opportunity to make it work. There wouldn’t be another chance like this, so he had to use force now or never.
But...
*Buzz!*
A buzzing sound, followed by the deafening noise of glass shattering, made everyone stop, startled. Looking up, they saw space itself crack. Soon, a trio emerged from a spatial rift.
The onlookers watched, confused, but the invaders simply scanned the battlefield without hesitation, landing slowly.
The rebel leaders exchanged looks with the King, seeing the confusion on his face. It didn’t make sense for him to orchestrate something like this in a battle already almost won. Yet, within seconds, as the invaders approached, the King’s gaze trembled.
And he wasn’t the only one. Numerous important figures on both sides of the battle seemed like they were staring at a specter. Their eyes locked onto a seemingly ordinary young man, but just focusing on his eyes was enough to feel a suffocating pressure.
No one moved. Everyone just watched as the trio landed on the ground, a few meters from the crowd.
Alm and Bruno let out a heavy sigh as they locked eyes with King Chromaraic Deion. His stance, his spear, and his simple yet direct aura left no doubt about his identity.
’Corin…’ Bruno murmured, while Alm surveyed both sides and the chaotic situation unfolding.
"Who are you?!" shouted the leader of the Deepmonsters, a figure resembling a bluish merman standing about five meters tall.
"I am Kakarotto, the new King of the Nine Secrets Empire," he responded without any emotion.
"What? Vulke’s useless son?"
Someone else murmured in confusion. The most recent news hadn’t yet reached everyone in the empire. After the destruction of the Tundrawalker Sect, King Deion seized the absence of his greatest enemy to try to unify the people... but the result was chaos, and external information had trouble spreading.
Kakarotto scoffed and took a step forward. Looking at the five races on one side and the other four on the opposite, Alm and Bruno quickly connected the dots. Corin’s allies were precisely the races closest to humanoids in terms of lifestyle.
King Vulke was feared by all for his strength, but also for his vast knowledge about the races and empires. He kept everyone under his banner, but the races lived in their own clans or in distant cities. Vulke demanded utmost loyalty, but allowed others to live as they wished, as long as it didn’t interfere with his interests.
"King Deion," Kakarotto said calmly, staring at the King, "I came here as a diplomat, to negotiate peace. Will you allow me?"
The Chromaraic looked catatonic, staring at Kakarotto without understanding why he felt that way. It was as if he had been waiting his whole life for this meeting.
With no response, Kakarotto sighed and turned to the rebels. "Do you hate the King that much? Is he a bloodthirsty, irrational villain like Vulke?"
The Immortal Lotus woman sighed and answered: "He’s not a warlike bastard like Vulke. In fact, I think he’s too good, to the point of being foolish. He avoided countless wars in the past but forgave the crimes of those he shouldn’t have. That’s why the Tundrawalker Sect grew so much. But now, the situation has changed."
"I see," Kakarotto placed his hand on his chin. "So the conflict is happening because…"
"This mediocre King is an idiot!" the leader of the Deepmonsters retorted. "Different races, living together and supporting each other without conflict? How will that create powerful cultivators? Such a pathetic environment will only destroy the strength of our empire. We’ll sink quickly. Life is a jungle; living like this goes against our nature."
A soft voice from a massive Yggdrasil tree echoed: "Our natural races dislike conflict, but we also don’t support the King’s idea. Cultivation is an internal and solitary journey. Everyone should improve themselves without external interference. Living the way he proposes will only corrupt our minds and our internal Daos."
Alm and Bruno were now certain: Corin was indeed a fool. First, he was too good and avoided eliminating the more belligerent rebels. A rotten apple easily spoils the others; in any society, there are always those who seek power, manipulating others to achieve their own goals. You can’t seek peace with someone who constantly creates chaos.
Second, uniting all the races? How could that possibly work? Humanoids have a tendency for silent conflicts and follow widely varied paths of cultivation and study. Beasts enjoy fighting among themselves and improving through battle, where only the strongest survive. Natural beings meditate and cultivate alone on their internal journeys.
Each race has its own worldview and mode of cultivation, not to mention that each cultivator is unique. The idea of total peace, with everyone living in one unified way, wasn’t viable.
Kakarotto turned to the King: "Deion, you have strength and compassion for the people, but you lack knowledge. Have you ever tried studying how the races see the world or what their natures are?"
The King, still stunned, reacted to Kakarotto’s words. "I… if everyone works together, the differences won’t matter anymore. All it takes is for each one to..."
"Enough. Your worldview is too limited," Kakarotto interrupted bluntly. "Without studying, understanding, and accepting the differences, there will never be consensus. You’re just trying to force them to fit what you think is right. It’s like asking a fish to live outside water or a bird to walk on land without flying."
The five race leaders nodded in agreement. They didn’t hate the King, but his vision of life was too simplistic. Living against their own nature would make them unhappy and prevent them from reaching their true goals.
"Listen well, young one," Alm and Bruno spoke seriously, looking at Corin, "Strength without wisdom leads to chaos. Do you think brute force and good intentions solve everything? Even with good intentions, each race, and even each individual, has their own path. There’s no absolute right or wrong; all paths can lead to the top in some way. Wanting the best sometimes means simply letting everyone follow their own path and being there for support."
The King didn’t respond immediately, only stared at Kakarotto, instinctively feeling he couldn’t oppose him. He reflected for a moment… and only then, he considered everything.
"But… many talents will be swallowed by conflicts, and many young cultivators could grow faster with help." He tried to argue cautiously.
"You forgot something very important," Bruno replied seriously. "What matters most to reach the top is the firm will to overcome any difficulty. Talent, techniques, and support are useless without that. And someone with the right focus won’t get lost in conflicts. Even if everything goes wrong, it’s an individual’s right to make mistakes and learn from them, even in another life. You can’t interfere in everyone’s learning."
Kakarotto’s words echoed like thunder in the King’s mind and in everyone around him. His allies there immediately felt as if a forgotten piece clicked back into place in their minds. Corin clenched his fists, understanding this crucial fact, even though he had always known it, he had ignored it.