Chương 834: Time While She Slept.

A few years ago, Flor and the other top authorities gathered to share the news they'd gathered. While they had yet to develop the new starships due to Liu Shu's sudden loss of consciousness, they still had other means of transportation taken from the conflicts that had occurred. Flor gathered the documents and spoke, her tone serious.

"The Nexus is on the move and approaching. Liu Shu has expanded her domain to the nearby Solar Systems. However, our forces would get spread out thin if we want to cover everything." After saying that, Flor continued calmly.

"The good news is that the Nexus can't easily mobilize their entire army. Otherwise, the Covenant might strike right on the other end. Our value as a bait for the Covenant, regardless of our current relationship, won't disappear easily." While the Covenant would not retaliate because they were in danger, they would use their dangerous situation to their advantage. In a way, the Covenant's shadow still cast enough of a shadow to make the Nexus wary. Flor tapped her armrest.

"The biggest problem is that a nearby True World Tree is advancing in our direction." This news was not easy to get, but because the True World Tree suddenly stopped its activities to focus on something else, it caught the informant's attention. Virelya, using several channels and connections, managed to get information about Deadly Petal's intent. A Sylvan woman with fiery red hair spoke up. She was the one governing one of the largest cities in Vorathen.

"Lady Flor, isn't this a big problem? If we could get the information, the Nexus would also get it. At this pace, our position will degrade into a force that both sides tactically approved for removal. Once that tactical approval is reached, our delicate position will completely crumble." Her words were not wrong. Once the Nexus learned that the Covenant's higher-ups didn't view them favorably, things could become complicated. Flor agreed, and usually, she would've been quite wary as well. However…

Her eyes couldn't help but glance at her System Page.

'... With these six transformed <Titles>, don't we have a ridiculous advantage?' When she received the newly transformed Chaos Titles, Flor almost had a heart attack. It had truly been a while since she felt that the <Eternal Tea> failed to calm down her heart. Moreover, she didn't know that Liu Shu had stopped their spread. So, after feeling the rush of strength, Flor quickly called her close secretaries to settle things. It was then that she received the opposite concerns.

All her secretaries were saying that the four Chaos Titles had disappeared for some reason. Her erratically pounding heart calmed down when she heard that news, and after taking another big gulp of the tea, she exhaled and composed herself. She secretly smiled wryly.

'Back then, I truly, for the first time in a while, felt real fear.' The new titles had long since passed the "Strong" classification and entered the "threatening" one.

'If those higher powers get to know of them, Liu Shu will transform into a supreme commodity. She already is teetering at the edge of that label, and these new titles are the final push they need to finally look our way from their high places.'

"Lady Flor?" Flor blinked her ruby eyes and glanced over with an apologetic smile.

"Excuse me, I spaced out momentarily." Then, she refocused on the meeting.

"As you said, we are currently in a precarious situation. However, all is not lost. While Liu Shu has, for some reason, stopped sharing the Chaos Titles, the rest remains perfectly fine. Compared to having and not having them, we lost around 30% of battle power. However, we are still overwhelmingly superior individually." The previous Chaos Titles increased total stats by 32 percent. Above that, they gave many other small buffs that, combined, increased survivability, affinity, and offense.

So, saying they lost around 30% of their strength, even after taking all the other buffs into account, was a conservative estimate. Taro spoke up, his aged voice calm and peaceful.

"Lady Flor, I see that you are not worried. May we know why?" They had been in governance together for almost one and a half centuries. So, Taro could tell that Flor was not anxious in the slightest. Flor smiled faintly.

"Hm… I will tell those present. However, the <Titles> have not disappeared as much as they have… transformed. I can't go into detail. However, I can say for sure that our elites will be much stronger than before." There were some of those elites present, people who had gained recognition and trust from Liu Shu and the rest. With Flor's green light, some of them spoke up.

"It is as Lady Flor said. The buffs disappeared because they are not something that the general public and non-combatants should know or receive."

"Indeed. While our middle ranks have become weaker, our top powerhouses will see quite a transformation." The red-haired Sylvan was a Level 190 powerhouse, so she had yet to reach that level of trust and strength. Still, when she heard those respected people speak, she nodded.

"I understand." Golden Sap Empire's leadership was much more easygoing than you'd think. Everyone knew that they couldn't really compete with tricks. Therefore, those who reached their current positions were not placed there through connections but were fully deserving of them. They were rational, intelligent, and thoughtful minds who could lead, prioritize long-term benefits, and lacked harmful greed. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

Flor continued.

"We are going to prioritize the Solar Systems Liu Shu has taken over as our defensive points. I doubt they would aim for them rather than come our way. Just in case, though, we will send a few regiments to these zones." Flor opened a hologram in the middle of the room showing the nearby star map and pointed at several nearby stars.

"These three are the ones." Someone asked.

"Aren't those three the unnamed Solar Systems that didn't have any First Ascension powerhouse?"

"Indeed." Flor pointed at one of the stars.

"However, there are several interesting worlds in this one star. The other two Solar Systems are average in value and talent. However, in this World…" Flor manipulated the hologram to zoom into one world.

"... There is someone named Etheria with the potential to become an <Eternal Apostle>." At those words, the gathered leaders opened their eyes and focused on the image of a saint-like woman sitting on her knees. Flor brought up two videos.

"These two are videos of Etheria's combat at Level 99." In the video, Etheria stood above a modern city with high-rise buildings and gently opened her arms. Her saint robe fluttered, and then the world was swallowed in a storm of Aether Mana and Anima Energy. Her voice echoed in the room, full of sacredness and indifference.

"You who don't understand Lady Heavenly Willow's grace and insist on opposing her mercy… disappear." Her energy manifested, sweeping the entire city and its surroundings with aberrant strength. Everything around Etheria was destroyed and flattened, causing the earth to tremble. If it were not because of Liu Shu's roots reinforcing the planet, earthquakes might've spread out worldwide from that single strike. Someone in the meeting room gulped and asked, a faint tremor in their voice.

"That individual… is at Level 99?" The strength she was showing was equal to that of Level 130 and Level 140 individuals. Flor nodded and spoke.

"That's why we need to protect this Solar System without fault. We could move Etheria and the other talented people. However, the world that can develop such a monstrous individual is too valuable. Moreover…" Flor paused for a moment before speaking.

"We were once abandoned by the Covenant. If we do the same without proper justification other than it being a hassle… wouldn't we be the same type of people?" Everyone in the room became silent and then nodded.

A few years passed after that, and the army spread out. Ignatia also sent a few Ant Princesses who had reached Level 200 to those Solar Systems so that they could start expanding. Then, coordinating with the mercenaries that Liu Shu took over, sentry locations were located between the stars. The movements of an army were both easy and hard to conceal. As long as the army could move without stopping, telling where they would be coming from was far too hard. Space was, after all, far too vast to pinpoint locations.

Flor looked at Seraphina and Obsidianis, her eyes somewhat subtle.

"Your strength… is evolving." It wasn't just these two. Even the other four Sylvans were becoming stronger as time passed. Their Tiers were rising, and their personal Chaos Titles were evolving as well. Only… Seraphina and Obsidianis were being left behind a touch. The reason was that Verdantia and the other three had undergone two <Ascensions> while under the influence of their personal Chaos Titles.

Of course, once Seraphina and Obsidianis went through their <Third Ascension>, things would change even more drastically Obsidianis looked at her hand and manipulated a few strands of Dark Aether Mana between her fingers. The previous faint, almost untraceable silvery streaks were now much more visible.

"I also feel stronger. Even the summons I control have been transforming lately." Flor, even though she was permeated by Liu Shu's presence through her mother <Title>, couldn't help but feel a touch nauseous when she glanced at those silvery streaks. They gave her a faint headache, as if those strands were just incompatible with reality. Noticing the faint look of discomfort, Obsidianis quickly dispelled her energy.

"Sorry, mother-in-law."

"There is no need to apologize." Flor smiled.

"It is good that the six of you are getting stronger." Seraphina pondered and asked.

"Mother-in-law, are you sure we should not attack those two nearby Nexus colonies? Those Solar Systems are far too close and give the Nexus a direct bridge to Ceperet."

"To be honest, that's better." Flor sighed.

"Our colonies are far too difficult to protect with our current resources. The number of people is far too low. And while our <Second Ascension> powerhouses are increasing rapidly, I feel that it's far from enough." Obsidianis spoke.

"Mother-in-law, I think you are both overestimating and underestimating the Covenant and the Nexus."

"Huh?" Obsidianis explained after organizing her thoughts.

"Mother-in-law's perception is somewhat… skewed." Flor didn't dismiss her words. Instead, she asked seriously.

"How so?" Obsidianis looked out of the window and explained.

"The current development of the Golden Sap Empire is… fast. Incredibly so. <Second Ascension> powerhouses don't pop up this easily just because individuals reach Level 199." Obsidianis looked at Flor and explained.

"Here, in Ceperet, once someone reaches Level 199, as long as they are moderately talented, Liu Shu's berries, comprehension buffs, and affinity buffs will push them over the edge to Level 200. It takes a few years, yes. However, a few years is basically nothing. Take, for example, the Level 199 archbishop that Ascended during the meeting after Liu Shu's Level 200 Ascension." Flor thought back at that scene, and her lips twitched.

'Only someone like Liu Shu can point at someone and make them go through their Ascension.' Obsidianis continued.

"That woman is someone I know. She is around 2, 000 years old. The archbishop was stuck at Level 199 for over 1, 100 years."

"..." Flor blinked, and her mind instantly began hurting.

"Wait. Ugh… Our people only take a few decades. There are still a few who are stuck, but even they shouldn't take that long." Obsidianis nodded.

"There are naturally cases of people advancing quickly, even outside of Ceperet. However, what I wanted to point out is that the archbishop was considered a somewhat talented person. Not exceptional, but not average either." Flor leaned back and got thoughtful.

"In the end, what you mean to say is…" Obsidianis spoke firmly.

"The density of Second Ascension individuals in the Golden Sap Empire is something that even Nebula Ranked Empires can only dream of." While speaking, a report arrived.

"Lady Flor, there is movement near the frontier."

"It's starting…" Flor muttered and stood up.

"Alright. Let's go."