The Martial Unity

The Kandrian Empire surged into preparation for the inevitable beast tide that was bound to sweep across the entirety of human civilization. Despite the fact that there were states and nations that had managed to protect themselves, the beasts and monsters continued to surge forth throughout the entirety of the Human Domain.

This was an approach that defied human military strategy and theory.

Normally, human invasions from one nation into another were conducted with an annexation-consolidation model. A time-and-tested model for territorial imperialism that was objectively the best strategy for annexing territory.

It was characterized by alternating phases where a piece of annexed territory was thoroughly consolidated to ensure that it could not be re-annexed by its enemies. Thus, one would normally annex territory, cease the invasion, and set up a defensive line characterized by a fort, wall, fence, or any kind of establishment that impeded a counter-invasion. One would set up bases for storage, housing, and inventory, as well as any and all complexes that would be necessary to fully integrate the annexed territory into the invading force.

There was a discrete invasion line behind which all annexed territory was consolidated or being consolidated as annexed territory.

This was how human invasions functioned, generally speaking.

However, the Beast Incursion did not unfold in alignment with the annexation-consolidation model. Not at all. The beasts and the monsters that emerged from the depths of the Beast Domain did not seem to consolidate the invaded territory. They appeared to move forward with the invasion despite the fact that much of the territory that they had already covered was still in human hands.

Despite the fact the Britannian Empire made a powerful resurgence in resistance after the Martial Sages returned, countless beasts surged past it, spreading in all directions at extraordinary speeds.

Whether it was due to spatial constraints in the number of beasts and monsters that could attack a single nation at once, or simply due to the fact that they were stupid beasts who were in a frenzy, or both, was unknown.

Regardless, their invasion would spread to all of human civilization.

That was why the Kandrian Empire was projected to be hit by the Beast incursion by It didn’t matter if the Britannian Empire managed to survive and retain its sovereignty as a state; the Beast Incursion would spread throughout all of human civilization one way or another. Any human obstacle was either overcome or engaged in endless war while the rest of the incursion moved around it to the rest of human civilization.

The Kandrian Empire didn’t have much time before it would get hit by such a large wave of beasts and monsters.

“Rui, you have the most intimate familiarity with the Elder Tree, having spent a year in the Garden of Salvation,” Emperor Rael leaned forward in his chair in a Royal Carriage. “We need you to be there, just in case…”

“Just in case the Elder Tree is also compromised by the sudden surge of madness that the fauna of the Beast Domain is currently experiencing,” Rui completed his father’s words with a knowing tone. “I understand. I’ll study the condition of the Elder Tree while we engage in dialogue with it.”

Emperor Rael nodded with a severe expression. “If the Elder Tree is compromised…”

The air grew heavy.

The Elder Tree connection was one of the most precious treasures of the Kandrian Empire. It gave the Kandrian Empire an enormous edge in precious esoteric resources that allowed them to leverage the intel into turning the Esocline Federation into an ally that served as an external deterrent to the Sekigahara Confederate. It was the forge of the future of the Kandrian Empire’s dominance in the If they lost such priceless treasure, the Kandrian Empire’s potential would certainly limited.

“Well, we can’t afford to go on luxurious hunting missions to acquire esoteric resources anyway,” Rui heaved a sigh. “So it doesn’t matter too much in the short-term. We must focus all our capital on defending our territory and, if possible, our allies.”

The way that the battle with the Britannian Empire and the Beast Incursion went gave priceless data to all Sage-level powerhouses in the entire world, including the Kandrian Empire.

With Martial Sages, the incursion could be resisted.

The Kandrian Empire had more Martial Sages than any other nation in the world, and it possessed among the most powerful siege weapons. Thus, they were in a uniquely good situation to deal with it.

“For now, let us verify that the Elder Tree has not been compromised,” Emperor Rael continued. “If it is, we cut communication with it. If not, we use its unparalleled intel into the Beast Domain to understand just what the hell is happening.”

A little over an hour since the inception of the Beast Tide was too little time for even the best ecologists and experts, including the human sages, to know what was happening in the world with the apocalypse that had just descended upon the world.

With enough empirical data, studies, surveys, and experiments, scholars and researchers in the relevant fields would hopefully find the answer to the question of what the hell was happening.

“But, if I can get an answer to what is happening from the Beast Domain expert, then the Kandrian Empire will have a strategic advantage over our enemies,” Emperor Rael calmly asserted. “We don’t have time. In less than a day, the Beast Incursion will finally reach the Kandrian Empire. Even the slightest clue as to what the hell is wrong with all these beasts and monsters can make or break not just the Kandrian Empire’s fate but also the fate of human civilization”

Rui raised an eyebrow. “You can still afford to think about the fate of human civilization when the Kandrian Empire is still in direct danger?”

“It is because the Kandrian Empire is also in danger that I must consider the state of human civilization,” he turned towards Rui with a pointed glance. “Human civilization can overcome this crisis, but the Kandrian Empire, if it were the last nation left, could not. The fate of human civilization affects the Kandrian Empire, and the fate of the Kandrian Empire affects human civilization, dare I say.”

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