The Martial Unity

In a large open conference were gathered all the leaders of human civilization. Virtual projections of them standing across a large formal gathering in the background of a massive stage, wearing ostentatious formal attire to signify the importance of this event.

The bright light of the morning Sun illuminated the world with a fresh tone while the cool winds of the City of Vargard, the capital of the Kandrian Empire, brushed past the press that had accrued before the gathering of leaders from across the entire world.

And yet, the air tingled with nervous anticipation.

The atmosphere was electric.

The press was almost rabid as camera flashed aggressively while journalists smelled the report of a lifetime.

The Emperor of Harmony stood at the very forefront of the gathering of the tens of thousands of leaders of human civilization, facing the endless sea of the press capturing each second that transpired.

His golden hair was groomed to perfection while his golden eyes sparkled with vigor.

His expression was powerful and steely, inspiring great awe and fear among those who beheld him.

A banner hung above him, featuring the name of the event.

One that shook those who beheld it.

[Ratification of the Panamic Alliance]

In the eyes of the public, this announcement essentially came out of nowhere.

It was shocking to learn all of a sudden one day that not only had all countries of the world come together to ratify three of the most wide-reaching agreements of human civilization in its entire history but also that they had agreed to enter an alliance.

It was mind-boggling, even.

With the Beast Incursion gone, not a single person in the public truly understood what was happening with such absurd shifts in human civilization.

What happened to all the rivalries and conflicts between nations in human civilization?

There had been nothing short of hatred between the Sage-level powerhouses of East Panama, and the same was true for many other Sage-level powerhouses that had great conflicts with each other.

International hostility was also omnipresent among weaker and smaller nations in the world.

While the Beast Incursion had indeed forcibly united them out of necessity, it was gone.

Geopolitical pundits had issued predictions that human civilization would increasingly become less united as time passed after the Beast Incursion concluded, not more.

And yet, here they were, agreeing to unite under a central structure with militaristic, intelligence, and economic mandates.

They couldn’t have known that the Emperor of Harmony had gained absurd amount of power amid human civilization, to the point that very few nations could resist the imposition of his will upon them.

Even if they hated the idea of submitting some liberties and mandates to the Panamic Alliance, they didn’t have any choice.

The Emperor of Harmony had come to control almost all Martial Sages in human civilization in the blink of an eye.

On top of that, with the help of Chairman Bradt, he also controlled a vast majority of seatrade responsible for transporting food from the Britannian Empire’s Cornucopia to the rest of human civilization.

In other words, he controlled two of human civilization’s most important resources.

Sages and food.

If any nation defied him, he could strip them of protection and make them starve.

With such great leverage, he had gained an astronomical amount of soft power, allowing him to exercise great control over human civilization. It served as a powerful stick, making countless leaders terrified of defying the Emperor of Harmony.

At the same time, he also offered them the carrot in the form of his promise of absolute protection for those who were terrified of the threats of the true world. The attack on the Esocline Federation helped solidify his image as a protector of human civilization. It proved that he was at least willing to put his money where his mouth was.

And just like that, he united human civilization.

“Citizens of Kandria… Citizens of the Panama Continent,” the Emperor of Harmony chose his words carefully, facing the world with a powerful appearance. “We have entered a new era born upon the dispersal of the Beast Incursion.”

His golden eyes sharpened.

“The Age of Unfolding.”

The press and gathered crowds frowned at his choice of words.

They didn’t understand the significance of the name chosen.

The intelligence of the manifold and the true world was still highly classified for obvious reasons.

Human civilization had entered into a temporary hysteria at the dispensing of the old day-night cycle and had only recently calmed down. If they were told the truth about the true world, there was no doubt that a maelstrom of chaos would erupt, threatening to destroy the very fabric of human civilization.

“In this era of unknown mysteries,” he continued with cryptic words. “We will stand united. With the ratification of the Panamic Alliance, I, as Supreme Commander of the Panamic Alliance, hereby verily swear an oath to protect this continent from any and all forces beyond us that threaten our liberty, our sovereignty, and our very existence.”

He breathed a deep breath.

“Long live Panama. Long live Kandria.”

And just like that, he walked away.

Abruptly, the projections of all the leaders dissipated.

The press widened their eyes with shock as the Emperor of Harmony left them with powerful but cryptic and mysterious declarations that they couldn’t even fathom, before dispersing without even answering a single question.

“Hey! What the hell is going on?!”

“You can’t just leave us with that!”

“Age of Unfolding? What the heck?!”

And yet, Emperor Rael didn’t so much a even twitch at the dissatisfaction and uncertainty that began emerging from the crowd.

It was not a problem he could afford to care about.

He had earned enough ironclad trust that this little bit of dissatisfaction was not enough to turn Kandrian society against him.

“Your Majesty,” his Royal Secretary appeared slightly behind him, addressing her liege with a calm tone. “Ninety-four percent of all Martial Sages have signed the Martial Mandate with the Kandrian Empire, fully committing to the Martial Insurance Pact.”

“Good,” the Emperor of Harmony heaved a sigh of relief. “My position as Supreme Commander of the Panamic Alliance is untouchable with the consolidation of almost all Sages.”

She directed a gaze of admiration and pride.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty. You are now the de facto ruler of human civilization.”

His expression grew severe.

“Do not congratulate me for a burden heavy enough to crush me if I’m not careful,” his tone was intense. “A single mistake can lead to devastating consequences, and I am solely responsible for all of human civilization from this moment forth.”

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