Chapter Ninety-Eight: The Beginning

July 13th, 791 of the Phantom Beast Era, was a day of frenzy and fervor for the Caesar Empire!

The lead headline in this morning’s Imperial Capital Daily announced that the Empire’s most powerful priest, the Ancient Saint Priest Duke Vladino, had fully recovered and was set to join the war against Reis!

The Saint Priest was going to war. This news spread rapidly, igniting a new wave of fanaticism not seen since Emperor Ludi III first declared war. Thirty years ago, at the Battle of Quarry Fortress, Anthony had saved the Empire; today, his student, His Excellency Vladino, had also stepped onto the battlefield. Now, no Caesar citizen doubted the outcome of this conflict. In their eyes, the only question was when victory would arrive.

People were so delighted by this good news that they naturally overlooked a piece of bad news: the right-hand man of Emperor Ludi III, Prime Minister Andor, who had labored for the Empire for thirty years, had unfortunately passed away at home from overwork on the eve of Duke Vladino’s departure.

Aside from the crowds celebrating Chu Tian’s departure, the capital remained largely unchanged. The only difference was that on a ruin in the southern part of the city, the newly titled Viscount Rednor was rebuilding his mercenary group’s headquarters.

In the southern frontier of the Empire, above the treacherous White Stone Mountains that stretched for a thousand miles, seven wings—at least a thousand griffins—soared arrogantly. Ten Zeppelin airships were lined up between the griffins, each carrying twenty-four heavy magical cannons, coldly patrolling the vast sky. Amidst the layers of escorts, the one spreading its wings in flight was none other than Chu Tian’s magical pet, the Lark Boeing.

As for Chu Tian, he was currently sitting on Boeing’s broad back, teasing Little White while squinting his eyes to contemplate his plans.

Although he had failed to capture Andor alive, Ludi III remained satisfied. Selina had already informed him, and the Intelligence Bureau had confirmed it: between the founding monarch and Selina, Chu Tian had chosen to continue his loyalty to the Empire. From that moment on, Duke Vladino officially entered the core of the Empire’s power as the new Imperial Prime Minister. This was Ludi III’s reward for Chu Tian.

With great power comes great responsibility. In the operation to eliminate Andor, Chu Tian had proven that his health was sufficient for war. Thus, the new Prime Minister took Boeing, which was returning to the capital to transport supplies, and arrived at the Shura battlefield a thousand miles away.

Between the Empire and Reis lay the thousand-mile-long White Stone Mountains. The only major passage connecting the two nations was Quarry Fortress, located in the center of the range. North of the fortress, all the way to the Imperial Capital, there was no defensive terrain other than city walls. South of the fortress, however, lay a vast plain where the Caesar Iron Cavalry could unleash their power to the fullest. Therefore, the small Quarry Fortress had become a vital point of contention for both nations.

*Rumble...* As they entered the vicinity of Quarry Fortress, roars reached Chu Tian’s ears. "Peggy, go see what’s happening!"

It didn't take long for Peggy to return to Chu Tian’s side, his eyes shining brightly. "Your Excellency! A battle is taking place at Quarry Fortress!" Although Peggy had become a member of Chu Tian’s family guard, his roots in the Caesar Iron Cavalry meant he could never abandon his love for the war of iron and blood.

"What’s the situation?" Chu Tian handed Little White to Barbosa and stood up. "Which side do you judge will win?" He trusted Peggy’s military talent absolutely, which was why he asked for his opinion.

Peggy gripped his sword hilt tightly, lifted his head, and replied proudly, "The Caesar Iron Cavalry is invincible!"

"Praise the Goddess of Life!" Chu Tian squinted and smiled. In Caesar, only illustrious military merit earned true respect. On the way here, Chu Tian had been calculating how to add to his own achievements, and now, how could he miss the chance to kick a man when he was down? "Good! Peggy, prepare for battle!"

"Your Excellency, your safety..." Though Peggy was eager, Chu Tian’s safety was his primary concern.

"This is war! We are both soldiers of the Empire!" Chu Tian barked, then drew Dracula’s Fury with a righteous air and stepped out of the cabin on Boeing’s back. "Damn it, time to fight!" With a half-dragon at his side, what did he have to fear?

*Roar...* The half-dragon let out a long cry and flew over quickly, lowering its head before Chu Tian. "Peggy, you command the griffins and airships. Make sure to protect the Lark!" After giving the order, Chu Tian climbed onto the half-dragon’s forehead, raised his blade, and took flight.

*Thump!* Peggy gave Chu Tian a solemn Caesar military salute, then jumped onto a griffin, pulled his sword, and roared, "First Wing, protect the Lark and pull away from the battlefield, move toward Quarry Fortress! All other wings, form up! Airship magical cannons, ready!" Barbosa, Little White, and Dio were all on Boeing; if they were harmed, Chu Tian would surely go berserk. Thus, Peggy prioritized protecting the Lark.

Quarry Fortress was built against the mountains and was magnificent, with nine gates dozens of meters wide lined up in a row. Now, the gates were wide open, and nine columns of iron cavalry were surging out, assembling into formation on the plain before charging!

A few days ago, the commander of the Reis army, Prince Zaplan, received news that Caesar’s strongest priest, Duke Vladino, was about to join the war. In his view, once a Saint Priest reached the battlefield, his opponent, Makoli, would certainly hold a grand welcoming ceremony and have no time to launch a large-scale offensive. Furthermore, the war, which had lasted over a month, had exhausted the Reis troops. So, Zaplan had ordered the army to rest today to prepare for the upcoming fierce battle.

Yet, it was precisely at this moment that the Caesar Iron Cavalry moved, instantly breaking through the first forward position of Reis. If it hadn't been for Klings fighting desperately to block them, the second position would likely have fallen as well.

Peggy guided his griffin to Chu Tian’s side. "Your Excellency, shall we begin?"

"Wait a moment longer!" Chu Tian ordered coldly, then had the half-dragon fly higher. The Reis forces had noticed enemy reinforcements in the sky, and some of their heavy crossbows and magical cannons had turned their targets. Only after reaching a height he deemed safe did Chu Tian say, "Begin!"

"It’s Duke Vladino!" Makoli, who was directing the battle from the city wall of Quarry Fortress, spotted Chu Tian. When he realized that Chu Tian not only hadn't retreated but intended to join the fray, his eyes lit up. He raised his sword high and shouted sternly, "Warriors of Caesar! The Saint Priest, Duke Vladino, has arrived!" His aged, solemn voice carried across the entire battlefield. "Now! I order you! Welcome the Saint Priest with the blood of the Reis!"

The reason Ludi III had wanted Chu Tian to join the war was fully realized at this moment. Under Chu Tian’s gaze and Makoli’s agitation, the iron torrent formed by the nine columns of cavalry clearly accelerated, and the Reis defensive line was instantly riddled with holes. The impact of the title "Saint Priest" on army morale was truly immeasurable.

"Haha, Vladino arrived just in time!" Watching the second defensive line of Reis being breached, Makoli laughed heartily and shoved Damar, who was still in a daze, beside him. "What are you standing there for!? Organize a magical attack immediately!"

*Praise the Goddess of Life!* Chu Tian squinted, watching the situation on the battlefield with a chuckle. *Damn! I didn't realize my name was so effective!*

"Crossbows and magical cannons, attack!" Prince Zaplan on the other side panicked. Chu Tian’s reputation not only stimulated the morale of Caesar but also demoralized his own troops! He grabbed a personal guard and shouted, "Where is Klings? Tell him to go kill Vladino! And all flying magical beasts, go finish off Vladino!"

Zaplan wanted to kill Chu Tian, but Peggy wouldn't give him the chance. "Griffins, prepare to dive! Magical cannons, fire!"

*Boom! Boom! Boom...* The ten Zeppelin airships and two hundred and forty heavy magical cannons unleashed their fury, plowing through the Reis positions and clearing the way for the Caesar Iron Cavalry! "Airships, ascend, reserve mana, and prepare for intermittent attacks! Griffin wings, target: Pterosaurs! Attack!" Peggy observed the situation calmly and issued orders to his subordinates.

The relationship between Reis and the Dragon Race was indeed unusual, as evidenced by their possession of a large number of fifth-tier sub-dragons—Pterosaurs. Reis was the only nation on the continent capable of using Pterosaurs as an air force on such a large scale.

The fourth-tier griffins and fifth-tier Pterosaurs quickly became locked in a brutal struggle. The griffins had the advantage of numbers, while the Pterosaurs possessed greater individual strength. They tangled together, making it difficult to determine a victor for the time being.

*Praise the Goddess of Life!* Watching griffins continuously fall from the sky, Chu Tian’s heart ached. These griffins weren't specifically assigned to protect him; they were pulled from all over the country by Ludi III to support the front line and just happened to be traveling with him. If they were all lost here, Chu Tian would bear a significant responsibility!

*Damn it!* I miscalculated. No one told me the Reis air force was this strong! Soon, a few Pterosaurs with exceptional strength charged at Chu Tian. "Peggy, don't worry about me! Focus on the battle!" Seeing Peggy about to come to his aid, Chu Tian hurriedly stopped him! Without Peggy’s command, even more Pterosaurs would charge through!

"Damn it!" Chu Tian squinted, grinning as he raised Dracula’s Fury. "I remember someone once called me a butcher!" With the half-dragon’s protection and a sword burning with sixth-tier flames, what did he have to fear from a few fifth-tier Pterosaurs? "Go to hell!" With a swing of his blade, a Pterosaur was struck down. Chu Tian then pulled the half-dragon’s horns and charged at the next one!

The half-dragon swung its long tail, knocking a Pterosaur unconscious, and Chu Tian finished it off with his sword. Man and dragon repeated the same tactic. In the blink of an eye, over a dozen Pterosaurs had died by Chu Tian’s blade. Unbeknownst to him, Dracula’s Fury was glowing brighter and brighter, and the color of its flames was becoming increasingly pure blue.

"Praise Your Excellency!" Peggy was stunned; he had never seen a priest on the continent as fierce as Chu Tian! But he quickly regained his composure. "Magical cannons, ready! Target: Reis magic positions, fire!" At this moment, not only were the flying magical beasts attacking Chu Tian, but the Reis magical cannons and crossbows were also beginning to fire!

"Vladino is fighting!? Haha, this kid is not bad!" Makoli, on the city walls, was astonished to find that Chu Tian was personally killing the enemy! For Caesar soldiers who respected warriors, this was an unexpected surprise! However, having a priest personally fight was a disgrace to the Caesar Iron Cavalry! "Damar, order Arroyo and his kin to take to the skies!"

*Buzz, buzz...* A swarm of wasps, each the size of an eagle, took flight from Quarry Fortress. It was the Caesar Empire’s hired magical beasts—the eighth-tier Bee Demons, led by Arroyo.

"Your Excellency, leave the rest to me!" Arroyo flew before Chu Tian, using several stingers to deal with the remaining Pterosaurs near him. "Please head to Quarry Fortress!"

*Praise the Goddess of Life!* Chu Tian was annoyed. He was just getting into the groove of the slaughter, but he hadn't expected to be interrupted by this little bee. However, since they were here to help, the young master couldn't lose face. "Thank you. I... I’ll head to Quarry Fortress first!" Chu Tian had meant to say he was fine, but the words changed as he realized trouble was coming.

Although Arroyo’s kin weren't as strong individually as the Pterosaurs, their numbers were overwhelming. Under a blanket of dense stingers, almost every Pterosaur was turned into a pincushion, and these stingers were also poisonous.

The Pterosaurs couldn't handle Arroyo, but Reis still had other units. Chu Tian ran because he saw a golden beetle, not much smaller than a Humvee, flying toward him. The thick shell on its back and the sharp steel pincers on its mouth signaled that this guy was not easy to deal with!

Pulling the half-dragon’s horns, Chu Tian dived. "I’m going to meet Makoli to discuss military affairs; I’ll leave this to you. Peggy, come with me!"

Chu Tian used a magnificent excuse to flee, leaving Arroyo and his swarm of wasps to face the golden beetle. "Raf! Why is it you again! Wasn't the lesson I gave you last time enough?" It seemed this wasn't the first time the two had encountered this situation.

"Damn it! Do you think I want to be here?" The eighth-tier gold beetle, Raf, was depressed. In terms of strength, he was one of the best among eighth-tier magical beasts, but the eighth-tier novice Arroyo was his natural enemy! Raf’s gold armor was enough to defend against most attacks, but there were still gaps, and Arroyo’s stingers were notoriously good at finding them. "The other magical beasts are all busy; Zaplan could only call me. Sigh!"

Without even starting the fight, Raf began to complain. "If I had known you were the opponent, I would have rather broken my contract than come." As he spoke, Raf shook his massive body, looked around, and seeing only Arroyo’s kin, lowered his voice. "Look, Arroyo, it’s not easy for a brother to make a living. We’re all magical beasts, how about you let me off this time?"

"You want me to break my contract!?" Arroyo was furious. *Buzz, buzz, buzz,* the wings on his back vibrated rapidly. "Hmph! You’ve already broken all the rules of the magical beasts! Now you want to drag me down with you? You’re courting death!" With that, Arroyo unleashed a barrage of stingers!

"Ah!" Raf let out a miserable shriek, but with zero fighting spirit, he happily turned and ran. "Haha, Arroyo, thank you! I can rest for a long time without having to fight!"

"Pah!" Arroyo spat at Raf’s retreating back, cursing, "Disgrace to the magical beasts!"

*Praise the Goddess of Life!* Chu Tian was dumbfounded. Ever since his blood was refined by the Dragon Emperor’s, his sight and hearing had improved greatly. On his way back to the fortress, he had overheard the conversation between Arroyo and Raf. *Damn, what is this? How can magical beasts be this shameless!? The whole world has gone mad!*