Chapter 22: The Magic Tide Approaches
Without any unnecessary words, the clash had already begun the moment the two left the Imperial Capital.
In just a few seconds, two warriors—who in ancient times would have been worshipped as demigods or even deities—broke through the defensive barriers of the Imperial Capital and the Three Mountains Fortress, ascending to a position about five thousand meters above the Mycroft Continent.
By this time, Israel's entire body was already covered in materialized Life Energy, his Battle Qi condensed into the form of a black-golden armor. He had arrived at the chosen location earlier than Joshua, yet he did not strike first. His Majesty the Emperor crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes calmly fixed on the warrior, radiating an air of self-assurance that said, "Do whatever you want."
And so, an aura and pressure like a collapsing mountain bore down directly on Joshua. But the warrior did not waver in the slightest. If the presence of a Legendary expert was like a world-shattering cataclysm, then he was now a piece of iron and stone tempered through a thousand forges and ten thousand refinements.
Unbreakable.
At an altitude of five thousand meters, surrounded by thick gray cumulonimbus clouds... "Are you planning to rebel? Remember, you just swung your sword at me."
Before Joshua could reply, the Emperor shook his head.
"A few months ago, I thought I was about to die."
Israel lowered his head, gazing down from the high altitude at the Morlai Palace in the center of the Imperial Capital. His tone was flat, as if he weren't talking about himself. "Ten years? Twenty? No, that's too extravagant. I thought I might only have five or six. In short, my life has been draining away. Over the past decade or so, death has been a visible countdown."
"Throughout the entire Empire, there are few people I can trust. Teacher Nostradamus is already old; he might die before I do. That stubborn old man has no desire to break through to the Legendary Realm. He's completely focused on teaching more good students to become the pillars of the Empire. I can't rely on him."
Joshua listened quietly as the Emperor spoke with an expressionless face.
"But he doesn't understand. This world needs more than just pillars. You need a single foundation that can support the entire hall to keep the Empire from collapsing. Without Legendary power, no matter how vast and unified a nation is, it's just a floating weed, ready to split apart at any moment."
"...You think I can do it?" Joshua's expression shifted. He understood Israel's meaning and found it extremely unbelievable. "To be honest, Your Majesty, we've barely met. You're planning for the future... aren't you afraid I might have ambitions?"
"Ambitions?" Israel let out a scornful laugh, as if he'd heard a joke. "What ambitions does a simple hungry wolf have? To eat meat? This world is full of strong warriors waiting for you to challenge. Would you care about an empire?"
That much was accurate. Joshua shut his mouth. He truly didn't care about such things. If he were forced to manage an empire, he would probably just abandon the job and travel to other worlds.
"I truly have no ambitions," Joshua said seriously after a moment of thought. "But others might not be the same. The Imperial Royal Family can't always have a Legendary expert. So before now, how did you manage?"
"That question cuts to the core." Israel nodded, as if he had anticipated Joshua's query and had an answer ready. "So, tell me, why do you think the Imperial Royal Family has been able to rule this empire of countless strong warriors for nearly a thousand years?"
The warrior admitted he didn't know.
The Emperor didn't answer directly either. He spoke in a flat tone. "The Radcliffe Family moved to the Northern Lands over four hundred years ago to guard the sealed land. No one else could handle that task—no one. The Diamond Family rules this land for the same reason. Even if another Legendary expert surpasses the Royal Family, they can't replace us. At most, the Royal Family would be weak for a hundred years."
He didn't say more, but the information revealed made Joshua frown. The Emperor didn't give the warrior time to think either. He glanced down at the flickering magical light below, then turned to Joshua and said, "Alright, you should return to the Northern Lands now. In a few weeks, the Nature Mentor will personally lead a team. You need to prepare for their reception. Pope Eagle will also be looking for you soon. I don't know why, but it must be something serious."
"During this year of confinement, prepare your territory well. Make the necessary arrangements to deal with the impact of the Black Forest beast tide."
After hesitating for a moment, Israel shook his head and spoke softly with a bitter smile.
"Because the Magic Tide is approaching."