The Martial Unity

“…According to the reports that I have just received from the Nindo Clan, the Sage-level beasts and monsters have been culled,” the projection Patriarch of the Shinken Clan muttered with a shocked expression of painful relief and gratitude. Gasps of air escaped, half sobs and half pants, as he reeled from the sheer impact that the rapid change in his fate and the fate of the Sekigahara Confederate. It was unbecoming of the appointed leader of the clan leaders of the Sekigahara Confederate to act in such an emotional manner before the leader of another nation.

But the Emperor of Harmony remained silent, simply allowing the man to process what had just happened.

One moment, he was drowned in regret and despair as he was of the firm belief that he and his nation were completely destroyed.

The very next moment, the Emperor of Harmony has dangled a line of hope before him, giving him a new destiny. That was a radical shift in mindset that would leave any human being emotionally unstable.

However, he had no intention of letting the representative of the Sekigahara Confederate go back on his word.

“Do you recall what you promised to me in return?” the Emperor of Harmony asked with a calm expression.

The Shinken Patriarch gazed at him with a profound expression.

“I have not forgotten.”

His tone had regained a measure of grace.

“I am not a man who goes back on my word.”

He gazed deeply at the Emperor of Harmony.

“From this day forth, the Sekigahara Confederate, and everything within it, belongs to you.”

Emperor Rael nodded with a stoic expression. “I want to a formal declaration of this from you with the seal of the Sekigahara Confederate announced to the Kandrian Empire and to the entire world within twenty-four hours, understood?”

The Patriarch of the Shinken Clan nodded with a resigned expression. “As you wish.”

“Do not even dare conceive of any notion of backtracking on your word.” A glint of peril emerged in the depths of the golden eyes of the Emperor of Harmony. “I have recorded your desperate pleas and your promise. I will have enough political justification to do anything to the Sekigahara Confederate under these circumstances. Not to mention, you cannot survive by yourselves with the critical wounds that the nation has experienced. Additionally…”

The Emperor of Harmony sharpened his gaze. “The World Bridge can be used to harm a nation, as well.”

The Patriarch of the Shinken Clan broke into a cold sweat. “I will adhere to my word as promised within the stipulated timeframe.”

The Emperor of Harmony nodded. “Get to work, then. You have a lot on your plate.”

The Patriarch of the Shinken Clan offered one last bow to him. “Thank you for your grace and mercy, Emperor Rael. We will never forget the boon that you have given us today.”

BZZZT

The call was cut as the Emperor of Harmony heaved a sigh, falling into thought.

“With this, the Sekigahara Confederate is ours.”

“…Do you intend to simply make the state a vassal state, Your Majesty?” the Royal Secretary asked.

“No,” the Emperor of Harmony shook his head. “The demerits of that outweigh the merits. It does not solve the underlying problems of the Sekigahara Confederate either. And so, I intend to…”

His gaze sharpened. “…completely dismantle the state and their culture.”

The Royal Secretary stirred with an expression of surprise. “…Your Majesty?”

She had not expected such an action to be taken by the one known as the Emperor of Harmony of all people. And yet, Emperor Rael was entirely composed about the decision.

“The Sekigahara Confederate is not a failed state by any means,” he remarked. “This is a nation that was once a full-fledged member of the Sage-level powerhouses by its own merit. It did so by embracing a martial culture and war to the very fullest, and lived and breathed war. The astronomical deterrence that they achieved by acting like maniacs in the first few centuries of the Age of Martial Art has allowed them an immense political influence that, to their credit, they have used to shore up their Martial Power, understanding that it was the most important aspect of a nation’s power in the Age of Martial Art.”

He paused, turning to his Royal Secretary.

“However, their nation is as flawed as it is effective. That is the reason that they are in the situation that they are in at the moment,” Emperor Rael remarked with a knowing tone. “The issue that I would like to point out is the fact that their unnecessary aggression again the Kandrian Empire was what was led to this horrible catastrophe in the first place. If they had exercised any sense, they would have concluded that it simply wasn’t worth it to launch an ambush of this kind against the Kandrian Empire even if they were still going to wage war. They could have allied with the Prime Minister Edward a lot sooner.”

The Royal Secretary nodded in agreement. “That is true, they are ultimately to blame for their own fall.”

“Additionally, while their culture was quite effective despite its flaws in the Age of Martial Art, the same cannot be said for the Era of Darkness,” Emperor Rael continued. “The beasts and monsters of the Beast Incursion are in a frenzied rampage. You cannot deter these creatures with senseless violence. You cannot deter them by acting like animals. They will overcome you in that regard. This kind of philosophy will only lead to destruction in the Era of Darkness.”

That wasn’t all, however.

His eyes sharpened as his gaze shifted to several reports on his table. “The Sekigahara Confederate is the second worst at integrating the blood humans into human civilization after the Solaris Kingdom. I cannot allow these fools to sabotage the future of human civilization with their nonsensical handling of the blood humans. Especially when, unlike in the Solaris Kingdom, it is a much more avoidable problem that can be fixed institutionally.”