CHAPTER 917: CHAPTER 488: THE NEW EPOCH (PART 2)

The King issued an order to resume the collection and production of Fire Kindling, which had been largely paused for decades, deeming it a top priority in the Royal City.

At the same time, the priority for producing Fuel Elements was significantly increased.

During its enhancement period, the Holy Fire requires more Fuel Elements.

Once again, the Royal City is bathed in the powerful Holy Fire.

Even though the Bright Festival has passed, the light of the Holy Fire still surpasses the city walls of the Outer City District, enveloping all the residents within its fiery glow.

The strength of the Holy Fire also led to many chain reactions, with Fire Holders increasing their cultivation speed within the Royal City, and the efficiency of fire-related productions improving.

Monsters within the Royal City are nearly extinct, with former areas shrouded in Black Fog now illuminated by the Holy Fire, leaving no dust to settle.

Aside from the sewers, there are no more threats.

Even during the night, the Holy Fire can still illuminate the entire Royal City.

The defensive force needed within the Royal City has greatly reduced.

Most importantly, the impending Fire Trial.

A stronger Holy Fire will surely ignite more souls, and more Fire Holders represent their future.

Thus far, the Holy Fire plan has achieved perfect success.

All warriors who participated in the raid on Starry Sky City received heroic treatment, with medical and logistics personnel swarming in to examine, heal, and provide every possible service.

Soul Masters and the Anti-curse Cult worked tirelessly to eliminate any risks for them, scrutinizing each inch of their bodies with a spiritual energy magnifier, not missing even a single hair.

Everyone received special merits, and First Elder Amendo personally bestowed the Trolian Hero Medal upon each, raising the rewards of supplies and resources to the highest, but most of them donated their rewards.

For them, personal gains hold little significance; what matters most is the entire development of Trolian.

What they truly need are cherished resources, like the "Initial Element."

The distribution and utilization of it have become one of the most important issues for the Royal City.

Its effect was quickly verified, handed over to the Mechanical Research Institute and Byron Alchemy Pharmaceutical Workshop’s finest Alchemist Masters and production masters for dilution, decomposition, and conversion into the most potent Spiritual Power Potion, provided to warriors most in need.

The yield from this expedition far exceeded expectations, beyond just the Star Chart; the news they brought back uplifted everyone, while their experiences left all trembling.

Their success was filled with grave dangers; every step had the potential for failure, ensuring this adventurous expedition could have easily ended in failure.

This served as a crucial warning regarding the truly dark environment; the monstrous power exceeded every comprehension at hand, and using one’s limited knowledge to understand the unknown inevitably invites defeat.

If not for Rod, success would have been impossible.

The peril throughout this journey was beyond imagination.

Moreover, the Starry Queen’s power was utterly unimaginable; had she not used the mysterious Star Source Power to transform into a chaotic entity, preserving her spirit from complete erosion, they would have faced complete annihilation, critically wounding Trolian.

Reflecting back, the success of the Holy Fire plan seems like a stroke of sheer luck.

Fortunately, they garnered the favor of fire, achieving this seemingly impossible milestone.

The issues they encountered rang alarm bells for the Royal City.

Such a team could be influenced by Doomsday believers, and the Trolian Archbishop unknowingly fell victim.

Upon returning to the Royal City, Horus underwent comprehensive checks at the Soul Church, surrounded by the Anti-curse Cult and the Silver Oath’s priests, ensuring his soul was unharmed and unaffected, while striving to uncover traces of Doomsday believers.

The Internal Affairs Court entered a state of high alert, launching a renewed search.

Internal mechanisms within the Royal City are evolving to ensure no gaps are left for Doomsday believers.

Under this wave of crackdown, numerous Doomsday believers were indeed captured, though the core of the Descender Sect remains elusive.

The most critical clue left points to Manolo Bana in the dungeon.

Lucian, the Judgment Chief of the Internal Affairs Court, is personally interrogating him, with the Royal City allowing the use of soul methods if necessary.

Yet, compared to the Doomsday believers, the information acquired from the Starry Queen proved far more vital.

Due to this, Trolian’s existence pushes forward by at least five hundred years.

Over those five hundred years, there had been no hint of such in their history, indicating Trolian had likely undergone a historical disruption.

Thus, it appears catastrophic events have never been far away, perpetually occurring.

The Starry Kingdom turns out to be one of the surviving Human Kingdoms within the Dark Epoch, and not at the tail end of the Fire Epoch, converting four human heroes into five.

But whether any other humans survived remains a point of fierce debate within the Royal City.

Some argue that the Starry Kingdom has also perished and that other human kingdoms had likely not been spared.

Within the long river of history, extinction remains highly probable, with likely only Trolian as the sole survivor enduring.

Others argue that if the Starry Kingdom lived for hundreds of years, then the survivors represented by the other three human heroes might as well endure longer.

They posit an interesting perspective, where in the Dark Epoch, strength is not the foremost element for survival.

While the Starry Kingdom seemed far more powerful than Trolian, it met its demise earlier; clearly, if humanity wishes to survive the Dark Epoch long-term, mere striving for strength isn’t enough.

This sort of viewpoint met severe refutation from top-level personnel led by Defense Chief Dalin, claiming this aligns with the beliefs of the Survivor Sect—being strong doesn’t guarantee survival, but being weak ensures destruction.

Trolian must not cease its path of expansion, must occupy more territories, gain more resources to endure potential disasters looming ahead.

Following several days of intense discussions, the Royal City ratified Dalin’s opinion, confirming Trolian’s continued outward expansion until reaching a critical limit.

Meanwhile, they’ll dispatch more search teams to delve deeper into the darkness, seeking potential existing Human Kingdoms.

Concerns around the shadows and calamities raised by the Starry Queen were duly noted, ensuring Trolian’s march ahead cannot stall.

The King reduced standard internal defenses, strengthening defenses around the Holy Fire Sacrificial Ground, primarily guarding against the feared Mysterious Shadow.

It could even corrode the powerful Starry Queen; thus when extracting the heart, not only was the King’s power weakened, survival becomes unsteady.

How to counter the Mysterious Shadow has become a critical research topic within the Royal City.

Of course, seeking the truth in history is always paramount.

The origin of fire, the source of Black Fog, humanity’s destruction and rebirth, are matters they urgently need clarity on.

Only by unraveling these, can they hope to survive long-term in this world, and possibly find everlasting light.

Starry Sky City holds great significance as a relic.

Rod is stationed there, guarding the Star Chart.

The Royal City dispatched numerous scholars and history professors to Starry Sky City, aiming to uncover more secrets from this citadel.

The Supreme Council acknowledged Jelaba’s decision, directly incorporating Starry Sky City into Trolian’s territory, assigning it to Rod.

In terms of lands, Rod emerged as the largest Guardian, with Starry Sky City’s vastness surpassing any defense region.

Yet in terms of population strength within the defense region, Rod is undeniably last.

Following fervent discussions, the Royal City agreed to list cleaning Starry Sky City as a task, assigning Rod ample High Rank combatants, even recalling his original team.

Furthermore, to commend Rod’s merits, Fire Son Jelaba proposed an unprecedented suggestion.

To initiate the eighth Ashen Throne, making Rod the eighth Fire Son’s Reserve.

——

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Starry Sky City.

Holy Fire Sacrificial Ground.

Rod, injecting essence into the Star Chart.

"Hmm?"