165: Ambition

In the Demiplane, Aivi gently took Linn's hand, pulling him back from his deep thoughts. With a gentle concern on her holy face, she asked, "What are you thinking about so intently?"

Linn held her slightly cool and smooth hand back and smiled, but his gaze remained profound. "I'm thinking about the future of the Star Sea Territory, and how far we can actually go under this starry Sky."

Hearing this, ripples of memory also appeared in Aivi's eyes, and she sighed softly with emotion, "Time passes so quickly. I still remember when I first met you on Iron Sand Island; you were just a young Gold Rank lord with only a few hundred soldiers under you, a deserted island, and everything waiting to be built. Now... the Star Sea Territory has more than five Legendary Experts, hundreds of thousands of elite troops, millions of people under its rule, and it occupies two provinces while eyeing the kingdom. It's truly a sentimental thought."

The two snuggled quietly for a moment, enjoying this rare peace. Aivi raised her head and looked at Linn's profile. "What are your plans next? The pressure from the kingdom doesn't seem to have lessened."

Linn nodded, his smile fading as he said seriously, "Internal development prioritizes the continuation and improvement of top-tier power. The next key candidates for cultivation are Elise and Clay."

He analyzed in detail, "Over these years, although Elise has often gone to the Mage Corps to guide their work, most of her energy has been spent on the secluded cultivation of the breath of life. She is exceptionally talented and has the help of the Demiplane's environment and top-tier resources. Now, she is very close to the threshold of Legendary, only missing the final push and opportunity. Clay, on the other hand, has finally reached the Sky Peak after ten years of tempering, relying on his own unremitting efforts and solid Foundation. He is determined and experienced, so his hope of breaking through to Legendary is very high."

"As for the other generals, such as Yilman, Karl, Angus, Shirei, and Evan, their strength has generally reached the high or even Peak of Sky under the pile of sufficient resources. But the Legendary Realm is not just an accumulation of energy and resources; it requires a deep understanding of power, rules, and even one's own path. This step is difficult for others to replace and can only be walked by themselves. Elise and Clay, whether in terms of accumulation or Heart-Nature perception, already possess the conditions to make the charge."

Aivi expressed her agreement and then asked, "What about externally? The kingdom's strict order some time ago requiring you to fully attack the Werewolf Tribe probably wasn't just to solve the border troubles, right?"

"Of course not." A cold smile appeared on Linn's lips. "On one hand, they are indeed being harassed by Jokic to the point of exhaustion and hope we will truly put in effort; on the other hand, they also want to use this to consume the vital forces of my Star Sea Territory and prevent us from continuing to develop steadily. Killing two birds with one stone."

He raised his hand and drew in the air, magic surging to form a clear magic map. His finger pointed to a large area bordering the north of the Aolai Kingdom, the east of Brussels Province, the north of Laixi Deep Province, and the west of the Star Sea Territory's Rhine Province.

"Look here, an area of about four hundred thousand square kilometers of mountains and hills. For the past ten years, the werewolves and their vassal Orc Coalition Army have mainly operated in this area, using it as a springboard to harass the kingdom. I have decided to send troops to take this land under the name of 'Following the King's order to thoroughly clear the werewolf menace and eliminate the trouble forever!'"

Aivi frowned slightly. "Four hundred thousand square kilometers... that's almost the size of another province. The Aolai Kingdom will never sit by and watch us gain a third such massive territory under our actual control. You must know that under the kingdom's system, only a Duke is qualified to have a complete province as a hereditary fief, and many Marquises only have administrative rights. We already actually control the East Sea and Rhine Provinces, and the kingdom is already extremely wary of this. Adding another piece, they might stop at nothing, perhaps even declaring war directly."

Linn, however, seemed to have a plan in mind, even with a hint of playfulness. "They might want to, but they might not have the ability or the opportunity anymore."

Looking at Aivi's puzzled gaze, he lowered his voice. "According to the latest news secretly passed by Grand Archmage Gordon, our His Majesty Alaric, who has ruled the Aolai Kingdom for nearly four hundred years... his end is near."

Surprise flashed in Aivi's eyes. "His Majesty Alaric? He is a Legendary Peak expert; logically, he should have a Lifespan of over one thousand two hundred years..."

"Lifespan is not absolute," Linn explained. "Old injuries from early battles, the mental effort of governing a massive kingdom, and the Soul decay brought by a stagnant Realm will all accelerate the passage of life. In those two 'longevity-boosting' potions I had Gordon present to him, I added some special 'ingredients' that can quietly trigger the chronic ailments in his body and accelerate this decline. Calculating the time, it should be about ready."

Aivi couldn't help but gasp, feeling a bit of sentiment for the impending end of a Legendary monarch, and even more shocked by the depth of Linn's planning and the secrecy of his methods. It turned out that as early as the secret talk with Gordon, or even earlier, he was already preparing for today.

Linn continued, "Actually, with our current strength, we are no longer completely afraid of a direct confrontation with the kingdom. I am already a Legendary Intermediate, and Daisy has even reached Epic Intermediate. Plus you, Ocean, Batu, and the hidden Jokic and Gordon, we hold the advantage in top-tier combat power. Even if the Aolai Kingdom has hidden trump cards, I am not afraid. What truly makes me wary is the massive military force of two million from the Aolai Kingdom and the nobility, as well as the kingdom's centuries of war potential. A head-on battle of attrition, even if we win, would be a pyrrhic victory, not worth the loss."

"Therefore, we need them to fall into chaos themselves." Linn's finger pointed at the southern region of the kingdom on the map. "Over the years, according to my instructions, Gordon has been secretly supporting the Second Prince enfeoffed in the south. This prince is quite ambitious and has long been dissatisfied with his elder brother's (the Crown Prince) mediocrity and his father's conservatism. With the secret support of Gordon, the Chief Court Mage and a Legendary Expert, plus the benefits and promises we've sent through various channels, a portion of the southern nobles has already secretly turned to the Second Prince. This even includes Marquis Alistair. In the face of interest, hatred can be temporarily set aside."

His gaze became sharp. "Once Alaric passes away and the throne becomes vacant, the Second Prince will certainly not be willing to submit to his mediocre elder brother. At that time, the noble groups within the kingdom supporting different princes will inevitably split and confront each other, and even a civil war may break out. That will be the best opportunity for our Star Sea Territory—taking advantage of their internal chaos to march into several northern provinces under the pretext of assisting the Second Prince."

Aivi listened quietly, gradually clarifying the massive chessboard Linn had outlined. From secretly weakening the king to supporting potential competitors and then using conflicts to trigger internal chaos, every step was linked, accurately exploiting the weaknesses of human nature, power, and interest.

"So," Aivi said softly, "what we need to do now is continue to 'faithfully' execute the kingdom's bandit suppression orders, while accelerating the Breakthrough of Elise and Clay, and closely monitoring the movements of the Royal Capital, waiting for the coming storm?"

"Exactly." Linn took Aivi's hand and looked toward the eternally beautiful Sky in the breath of life, but his gaze had already pierced through the Void Realm and landed on the continental landscape that was about to become turbulent. "Accumulate strength and wait for the opportunity. When the kingdom's death knell rings and the flames of civil war ignite, it will be the moment for my Star Sea Territory to truly show its fangs and delineate the boundaries of a new era."