205: The stars and the sea

In the year 80 of the star sea calendar, the former young monarch had become the King of Star Sea whose majesty shrouded the eastern part of the Western Continent. His eldest son, Ryan Star Sea, was now eighteen years old, full of vigor and possessing much of his father's demeanor. Linn ordered him to stay behind in the Star Sea Royal Capital, which was suspended in the Sky, to oversee the government and manage affairs with the assistance of veteran officials like Payson. This was both a trial and a sign of trust in his abilities.

As for Linn himself, he once again donned his military uniform.

Ten years of gathering resources, ten years of development. The power accumulated by the Star Sea Kingdom was like a volcano about to erupt. The original two million regular troops had expanded to a massive four million through continuous training, equipment updates, and recruitment! This was a war machine shaped entirely by Linn's will, with steadfast faith and excellent equipment.

The point of the sword was aimed directly at the western nemesis: the Fama Kingdom!

This war had been planned for a long time. Linn personally led the four million-strong Star Sea Army to press forward along the entire eastern border. At the same time, the Wolf King Jokic, who had signed a treaty with Star Sea, led a million elite Orcs south from the northern Great Wilderness Forest, striking deep into the northern heartland of Fama.

A pincer attack from two fronts, as powerful as a thunderclap!

Although the Fama Kingdom had prepared early and was powerful, they were under the shadow of the Epic Holy Archmage Linn personally leading the campaign and the Mythic Silver Dragon Destiny (whose very existence was the ultimate deterrent). Under the assault of overwhelming airships, magic legions, and Orc wolf riders, their defensive lines retreated step by step.

The war lasted for five years, with the flames of battle spreading across the entire territory of Fama. The Star Sea Army demonstrated astonishing combat power and advanced concepts of warfare. The combination of magic and machinery, coupled with the fearless morale bolstered by faith, made it impossible for the Fama defenders to resist.

In the year 85 of the star sea calendar, the Fama Royal Capital fell, the King died in battle, and the last main legion was surrounded and annihilated. The Fama Kingdom, which had stood for nearly a thousand years, was declared destroyed, and all its territory and legacy were incorporated into the Star Sea map.

The pace of conquest did not stop.

In the year 90 of the star sea calendar, after a short respite, the Star Sea Army continued its westward advance. The Mingyue Duchy declared its surrender almost without resistance. Then, the spearhead was pointed directly at the Aztec Kingdom. This nation, famous for its mountain warriors and totem beliefs, put up a stubborn resistance. Relying on the steep mountains, they caused considerable trouble for the Star Sea Army, but under the absolute difference in strength, the resistance lasted for less than two years.

In the year 92 of the star sea calendar, the royal family of the Aztec Kingdom was wiped out, the totem poles were toppled, and the territory was brought under Star Sea rule.

In the year 95 of the star sea calendar, a landmark event occurred: the East Wilderness Beastmen United Kingdom, which had deep roots with Star Sea, officially announced that its entire territory would be merged into the Star Sea Kingdom under the promotion of Wolf King Jokic! Jokic was enfeoffed as the "Beastmen Prince," retaining a high degree of autonomy, but sovereignty over military and foreign affairs was transferred to Star Sea. This move greatly extended Star Sea's territory to the east and gained the loyalty of a million Beastmen warriors.

By this point, the Star Sea Kingdom had become the undisputed hegemon of the eastern and central parts of the Western Continent, with a territory far exceeding that of the former Aulai and Fama.

The year 100 of the star sea calendar was a milestone year.

After fully digesting the new territories and integrating the forces of the Human Race, Beastmen, Sea Race, and some friendly alien races, Linn believed that the title of "Kingdom" was no longer sufficient to carry this unprecedented achievement.

At the suspended Royal Capital, which was now the size of a small continent, an unprecedentedly grand ceremony was held. Under the gaze of billions of subjects and envoys from all sides, Linn was officially crowned as—the Star Sea Great Emperor!

From then on, the Star Sea Kingdom was promoted to the Xinghai Empire!

At the moment of coronation, a massive amount of Luck and Power Of Faith gathered. Linn, who had already reached the Mythic Peak, broke through the divine barrier in one fell swoop and stepped into the realm of Godhood, which is unattainable for Mortals!

The Xinghai Empire, with one God, several Mythic beings, and over ten Epics presiding, awed all directions.

However, the rapid expansion of the Xinghai Empire and Linn's "blasphemous" act of discarding traditional deities and establishing himself as the core of faith had already aroused the hostility of the powerful nations in the western part of the Western Continent and the Church of the Dawn.

In the year 150 of the star sea calendar, after nearly half a century of secret alliance, the "Holy Anti-Rebel Alliance" was formed. It was fully supported by the Church of the Dawn and led by the Third Dawn Kingdom, uniting three powerful kingdoms. In the name of "eradicating heresy and restoring divine power," they declared war on the Xinghai Empire! The alliance's forces were claimed to be eight million, with additional support from fanatical priests, paladins, and hidden powerhouses dispatched by the church.

The now-god Linn the Great Emperor only responded with a cold sneer.

He personally commanded the Star Sea Army, which had grown to ten million after half a century of development. Beneath him, the Mythic Silver Dragon Destiny soared through the Sky, and more than a dozen newly ascended Epics stood ready.

The super war that would decide the fate of the Human Race on the Western Continent broke out between the central plains and the continuous mountain ranges.

The cruelty of the war was beyond imagination. However, with the advantages in military technology, organization, the number and quality of powerhouses, and the bonus of a unified fanatical faith, the Xinghai Empire gradually gained an overwhelming advantage. airship clusters conducted carpet bombing, magic legions tore through the Sky, the iron flood crushed positions, Orc wolf riders flanked and struck, and Sea Race surprise troops advanced along the rivers... The war lasted for ten years.

In the year 160 of the star sea calendar, the capital of the Third Dawn Kingdom, "Dawn City," fell after three years of siege and intense assault. The headquarters of the Church of the Dawn was razed to the ground, and the alliance completely collapsed. The other three countries either surrendered or perished.

With iron-blooded methods, Linn the Great Emperor forcibly incorporated all Human Race forces in the Western Continent into the Xinghai Empire's governance system. The faith in the god of dawn was uprooted, churches were rebuilt, and believers were converted or exiled. The faith in the Star Sea Great Emperor spread across every inch of the Western Continent along with the Empire's battle flags.

The conquest was still not over.

In the year 200 of the star sea calendar, after completely stabilizing the Human Race territories and recuperating for forty years, the Xinghai Empire turned its gaze toward the last alien powerhouses on the continent: the Orc Kingdom entrenched in the bitter cold lands of the north, and the Dwarf Kingdom living in seclusion in the western mountains, famous for their forging skills.

Linn the Great Emperor once again led the campaign personally. At this time, the Xinghai Empire's national strength was at its Peak. The ten-million-strong army was merely the standing force, the number of Mythic powerhouses could be counted on one hand, Epics were as numerous as clouds, and Legendaries were as common as rain.

The Orc Kingdom relied on the terrain and their bravery to resist for five years, but eventually, the royal city was submerged by magic rain and the iron flood, and the last Shaman Grand Elder died in battle. The Dwarf Kingdom resisted for eight years by virtue of their mountain-core labyrinths and solid fortresses. However, under the Xinghai Empire's relentless magic erosion, tunnel blasting, and long-term siege at any cost, they eventually ran out of food and ammunition. The King blew himself up in the Core Forge Hall, perishing along with some of the invaders, but still could not change the fate of destruction.

In the year 208 of the star sea calendar, as the last flag of the Dwarf Kingdom fell, the entire Saidi Luoyate West Continent—from the Storm Sea Region in the far east to the Endless Mountains in the far west, from the northern ice fields to the southern jungles—all known organized forces, whether Human Race, Beastmen, Orcs, or Dwarves, had all come under the rule of the Xinghai Empire.

The continent was unified!

To demonstrate this unprecedented achievement and the Empire's "inclusive" nature toward all races, Linn the Great Emperor issued the final decree in the year 210 of the star sea calendar atop the "Star Sea Divine Capital," which was now comparable in size to a small landmass:

From this day forward, the Xinghai Empire is renamed the—Star Sea Co-Prosperity Empire!

"Co-Prosperity" symbolized that under the supreme will and brilliant guidance of the Star Sea Great Emperor, all races and all living beings on the continent would set aside their past grievances and barriers to prosper together under the Star Sea flag.

Although behind this "Co-Prosperity" lay the bones of countless wars and iron-blooded conquest, it was undeniable that starting from the year 210 of the star sea calendar, the Saidi Luoyate West Continent entered an unprecedented era of "enforced peace" and "rapid development" dominated by a single powerful Empire.

Lynn Star Sea, from a Pioneer Knight in the borderlands to the Lord of a Kingdom, from the Lord of a Kingdom to the Great Emperor of an Empire, and finally to the Lord of the Co-Prosperity Empire that unified the continent and a being above the Mythic level. His gaze seemed no longer confined to the vast continent beneath his feet. Legend has it that in the deepest part of the Star Sea Divine Capital, the Empire's highest-ranking mages and engineers, under the personal guidance of Linn the Great Emperor, are carrying out a grander plan code-named "Stargate"... The legend of the Star Sea Co-Prosperity Empire continues to be written, and its journey may ultimately point toward the boundless sea of stars.

The End