Chapter309-Decisions of the Major Powers
“No, absolutely not! If we join the Azure Kingdom under Owen’s terms, we’d be nothing more than his ministers-perhaps even his slaves!”
The assembly hall was in chaos, filled with arguments like a bustling marketplace.
However, Owen remained calm, watching them patiently, as it was they who needed to be anxious, not him.
In this Millennial Cataclysm, only with the Divine Path Stone was there a certain chance of survival. Compared to their own lives, what did subservience matter?
Besides, Owen had no interest in enslaving them; he simply wanted to rally all their forces to resist The Celestial together.
Under Owen’s calm gaze, the factions that had good relations with him agreed without hesitation.
“Owen, we, the Bone Dragons, are willing to join the Azure Kingdom unconditionally and henceforth obey your commands!” The Bone Dragon King, along with a little girl from his kin, stepped forward to Owen’s side.
His dragon-headed, human-bodied form
bowed to signify his submission.
To the Bone Dragon King, Owen was a friend with whom he’d once fought side-by-side, and there was no shame in yielding to him.
Considering the harshness of the Millennial
Cataclysm, he might have considered
submitting even if it weren’t Owen who
wielded the Divine Path Stone. Survival,
after all, was paramount.
Owen, grateful for the Bone Dragon King’s previous assistance against the Pyrothrone Kingdom, warmly welcomed him now.
“Well then, Bone Dragon King, we are old friends. Welcome to the Azure Kingdom family!” Owen helped the Bone Dragon King to his feet, patting the Bone Dragon Princess’s head and letting them stand behind him.
With Owen’s acceptance of the Bone
Dragon King into the Azure Kingdom, the
crowd turned their attention to them.
Just then, the elderly chief of the Middle
Earth dragons, along with the Dragon Princess and his elite circle, approached Owen.
Placing his right hand over his chest, he
respectfully asked, “Mr. Owen, it is our honor to join the Azure Kingdom. Will you welcome us?”
“Welcome! Most warmly! From now on, the
Azure Kingdom is your home!” Owen smiled as he glanced over the dragon elites
with satisfaction.
Dragons were among the most elite beings.
in the world, blessed with powerful
bloodlines and innate strength.
With their strong alliance and past assistance, Owen was more than happy to
welcome them.
“Don’t forget about us Fallen Angels, Mr.
Owen!” Otto, with a complex expression, brought the Fallen Angels forward, showing due respect.
Owen looked at Otto, who seemed feeble
by comparison, yet he hadn’t forgotten
Otto’s past support.
Without him, stabilizing Kyrik’s attacks, not
to mention the assault on the Pyrothrone Kingdom, would have been much harder.
“Bring your whole Fallen Angel clan. The nourishment from the immortal essence will greatly benefit your bloodline,” Owen
said with a smile.
Otto nodded, recalling the first time he
met Owen, when he had been so weak and had to negotiate for survival.
Yet in such a short time, Owen had
ascended to be one of the most significant figures on the continent, in Middle Earth, and perhaps the entire realm.
Though his power was terrifying now,
Owen still considered him a friend, unlike
others who had risen to greatness and forgotten past allies.
Owen’s loyalty to his friends was steadfast
-a rare quality among powerful elites.
“Cloud Empire pledges allegiance to the
Azure Kingdom and to Owen!” Davis stepped forward, representing Cloud Empire’s stance.
From early on, the Cloud Empire had noticed Owen’s extraordinary feats. In such a short time, he had become a
figure they could only look up to. Aligning with him was their only chance to survive the Millennial Cataclysm.
With Davis’s declaration, the crowd sensed
a growing shift toward Owen. Some factions, initially hoping to stall and
bargain with Owen, now realized it was a futile dream.
Though many elite factions had animosity
toward him, he had friends and loyal allies willing to rally behind him.
The Azure Kingdom’s resources were not
infinite.
While several still hesitated, suddenly, a
stir in the crowd signaled the arrival of the Academy City delegation.
The contingent included both members from the continental Academy City, led by
Edward, and the elder professors from Middle Earth’s Academy City. Their presence puzzled the crowd, as
Academy City was known for its neutrality and avoidance of power struggles. Yet here they were, in force. “Mr. Owen, Academy City hopes to stand
alongside you in resisting The Celestial. We are at your command!” declared the elder
professor from Middle Earth’s Academy City, his expression complex. The crowd was astonished, for Academy
City was perhaps the last faction expected to submit to anyone. Owen, however, knew why they were here.
He had sent a message through Edward to the elder professor.
“When this epoch ends, it will be the best
opportunity for countering The Celestial and ushering in a new era-Academy City’s greatest chance to fulfill its ultimate purpose.”
Edward didn’t quite grasp Owen’s meaning,
as Academy City was historically a mere chronicler of events. But he trusted Owen, passing the message to the elder professor as instructed.
Shortly afterward, Edward watched as the
professor hastily gathered Middle Earth’s core personnel and came here. “Welcome, Academy City, to the Azure
Kingdom!” Owen said, scanning Edward
and the others with a genuine smile. While Academy City wasn’t the most
powerful in combat, their expertise in intelligence and history was unmatched, a crucial asset for the ultimate battle against
The Celestial.
Academy City was, in fact, the only faction
he had personally invited.
The elder professor looked at Owen, his gaze deep and contemplative.
From the beginning, he had sensed something extraordinary about Owen’s rapid rise to power.
In only a few years, Owen had walked a path others could not in a lifetime, becoming one of the strongest and most respected figures in the world.
What astonished the professor even more
was that Owen understood Academy City’s true purpose.
To others, Academy City was a recorder of history, yet it had originally been
established to oppose The Celestial. Its founder, disheartened by The Celestial’s vast power, had created Academy City to
study the realm’s history, seeking a way to
counter The Celestial’s might..
