"Ah, sure, I have something for you!" Aria whispered beside his ear.
"Alright, let me see what you've got," Aengus replied eagerly, glancing at Aria as she began to activate her mysterious nature power.
Her hair turned snowy white, and her eyes shone with an intense emerald green.
Drake, Yona, and Delilah moved closer, sensing the situation had calmed down. Yet, they maintained a respectful distance from Aengus. He was now an emperor with over ten million soldiers, a force comparable to a powerful army on his own.
"Congratulations, your imperial highness!" The King of the Araknis Kingdom approached with his generals following closely behind.
"We acknowledge you as the sole Emperor of this world. Please accept our allegiance," the king said respectfully, acknowledging the establishment of the Liberation Empire.
"Thank you," Aengus responded, looking at him perfunctorily, then turned his attention back to Aria, who was preparing something with deep focus.
The king raised his brows but said nothing. Compared to Emperor Kairos, the young Emperor wasn't too disrespectful, at the least.
All attention shifted to the new Empress, who seemed eager to prove herself for the Emperor.
Aria gestured her hand toward the sky, flowing green energy spreading above from her palm.
To everyone's astonishment, the night sky quickly disappeared, revealing a bright red sun rising from the east.
"Oh My God!"
Most of them were gobsmacked at the miracle. It was barely past midnight—how had day suddenly broken with a mere hand gesture?
They stared at her in shock, but something even more incredible happened next.
In the middle of the Five-Clawed Mountain Range and Sword Mountain, water began to pour in magically, filling a massive basin hundreds of meters deep, forming a small ocean.
Tree roots sprouted from the scorched ground at an incredible speed, slowly shaping themselves into a statue. The scale of the statue was enormous, nearly 1,500 meters long and 400 meters wide.
Aria was clearly struggling, but gritting her teeth, she held on.
Aengus looked on in astonishment, guessing what she was attempting. Her determination made him smile, and he allowed her to continue without intervening.
Very quickly, an exact replica of Aengus appeared—a statue in military uniform made of lush greenery, vines, and flowers. The massive figure depicted Aengus holding his weapon, Aegis, shaped like a scepter, striking down against the Fusion Divine Sword. He looked regal and dominant, with a serious expression on his face. The colorful flowers of various types painted the statue in intricate detail, like a vivid, lifelike version of him.
"Now it's perfect!" Aengus commented with a slight smirk, turning to Aria.
"It's beautiful!" Aria said, admiring her own statue. Her shimmering eyes never wanted to leave the scene.
Aengus then turned to General Leon.
"General, why don't you help me with this?" Aengus asked General Leon, indicating the soldiers to establish new ranks among them. "It's time to fulfill your end of the deal."
General Leon smiled slightly under the radiant sun, pleased with Aria and Ethan's partnership. If he had a daughter, he would have liked her to marry someone like Aengus. He seemed pleased with Aengus's character—never hesitating to become a devil when necessary, yet a beacon of hope in dire times.
Some might consider him a mass murderer or a dictator, but in this world, that's what was needed right now.
"Of course, I never forget my promise, young Emperor!" he answered, stepping forward to help.
General Felix joined in as well.
"Don't forget me... I would like to join the cause, Emperor Zero, but my loyalty will always belong to the Araknis Kingdom."
General Martin hesitated, unsure if he should join, looking at the King.
"You can join them as well, Martin. We are now in the same boat!"
The wise King Milphomor gave Martin permission to join and help. He was hoping this would bring the Young Emperor closer to the Kingdom.
"As you say, Your Highness, but my loyalty will always belong to my homeland," General Martin said resolutely while joining Felix.
Aengus gave them a respectful nod, welcoming their participation with open arms.
Duke Milroy whispered to the King, "Royal brother, are you doing the right thing? What if they join their empire for real?"
The King looked at their backs and replied, "I trust them, Milroy. I know they wouldn't betray their homeland. And do you think our kingdom is safe now?
No. We are now tied to the Young Emperor in the same boat. Whether we lose or win, only time will tell."
"I hope so..." Duke Milroy muttered in a barely audible voice.
Crown Prince Malcolm accepted the situation calmly, while Mikail clenched his fist, feeling utterly defeated.