Chapter 86: The Strategy Meeting

Chapter 86: The Strategy Meeting

When Kexian stepped into the Forbidden Gods Meeting Room within the Ringed Magic Tower, his mind reeled with disorientation.

This was his first time entering the Ringed Magic Tower—the true center of power in the Keville Empire—since inheriting the throne.

Yet he felt no trace of pride.

Not only because, at the Round Table, four gods sat while he alone was mortal.

But also because this sudden war had left him utterly dazed.

If Keville fell, the four seated here would survive just fine.

Countless factions would welcome them with open arms.

At worst, they could even wander to other mid-sized domains and become the supreme forces there.

But what of him?

What of the Keville royal family?

Their future would be bleak, doomed to extinction!

"We underestimated the Five Great Righteous Gods—and their madness even more so," said Beixi, the God of Magic, his projection at the meeting twisted with anguish.

The expressions around the table darkened.

By all logic, Keville should never have been the primary target of the Five Great Righteous Gods.

First, their territories didn’t border each other. Conquering it would create an enclave.

Though portals could bridge the distance, their operation costs were exorbitant. If the war escalated, the defensive toll would be immense.

Second, Keville’s strength was formidable, with three Gods of Magic guarding it. Even if they seized a few cities, a prolonged stalemate would hardly be worth it.

"It’s not that they’re too mad—it’s that they’re too clever. Because Keville has become my preaching zone," Yu Sheng'an interjected, his gaze icy.

The others froze, their expressions turning complicated.

There was another reason the Five Great Righteous Gods had long ignored Keville: no direct conflict of interest.

What use did gods have for territory?

Their ultimate goal was merely to nurture Believers!

Believers were the core interest of gods.

If an entire domain worshipped a single deity, it wouldn’t even bother with mortal wars—unless too many Believers died.

That was why the Five Great Righteous Gods and neighboring divine nations had irreconcilable conflicts—a zero-sum game.

But Keville was different. It was the City of Magic.

It forbade any god from establishing Churches or spreading faith, allowing it to remain neutral—until now.

Now that Keville had become the Internet God’s preaching zone, its significance had changed.

Yet after three centuries of peace, Keville had overlooked this.

Or perhaps, not being gods themselves, they simply couldn’t see things from a divine perspective.

"Now isn’t the time for lamentations. Face reality!" Qimoer murmured.

And reality was brutal.

The Five Great Righteous Gods’ sudden assault, aided by assassinations and internal sabotage, had destroyed two of Keville’s cities overnight, with countless casualties.

Fortunately, the internet’s rapid information flow had broadcast the attack the moment it began.

Otherwise, the losses could have been far worse!

Yet even so, the Keville Empire teetered on the brink.

The forces the Five Great Righteous Gods had mobilized were overwhelming.

Beyond the God of Death’s countless undead legions, their high-tier forces alone included eleven undead dragons.

These were beings second only to the Gods of Magic, their power nearly on par with Grand Archmages.

It's important to note that in the Keville Empire, there are only a dozen or so Grand Archmages.

Not to mention the God of Life's undead army!

Of course, the most formidable enemy is the God of War, the most fearsome combatant among the Five Great Righteous Gods!

In the God of War's preaching zone, there are only two professions: warriors and helots.

Here, when a warrior's child is born, regardless of gender, their physical fitness is tested by coating their entire body in alcohol.

Those who fail—even if they are the children of highly decorated warriors—are abandoned in the abandonment field and left to die.

After the age of seven, children are taken from their parents to undergo brutal warrior training.

They wear only a single linen garment in both winter and summer and often go hungry, as the God of War encourages them to steal and plunder.

Their living conditions are harsher than those of slaves!

Only upon reaching adulthood at thirty do they gain personal property and helots, at which point their quality of life skyrockets.

If the warriors' lives are this harsh, the helots fare even worse.

They are almost entirely populations seized through war—in other words, slaves, livestock.

They perform all forms of labor, enduring endless humiliation.

There, any warrior can kill or punish a helot on a whim without facing any consequences.

Helots have only two ways to escape their fate:

First, by killing a warrior during the "Krypteia" and taking their place.

The so-called "Krypteia" is similar to an apprentice mage's trial—a rite of passage for warriors.

The general process involves driving a certain number of helots into a designated area for the warriors to slaughter and blood themselves.

Second, by joining the war as part of a suicide squad or cannon fodder.

If they can prove their combat prowess and merit on the battlefield, they may also have a chance to rise as masters.

It is this terrifying religious culture, combined with the God of War's unique authority, that has forged his fearsome reputation!

"Beixi, how much longer can Edga hold out?" Dandell looked at Beixi.

"Probably no more than ten days!" Beixi replied with bitter fury.

Three of the Five Great Righteous Gods have already made their move.

The God of Death and the God of Life have each seized a city—only the God of War has yet to achieve anything.

Does this mean the God of War is undeserving of his name?

No!

Because the God of War has chosen to attack Edga, one of Keville's three most prosperous cities!

This is also the city under the stewardship of the God of Magic, Beixi!

Rich in mithril and its associated ores, Edga is a hub of commerce, its economic output nearly equivalent to half of the Keville Empire.

"Ajef, what do you think?" Dandell turned to Yu Sheng'an.

"If I weren't here, how would you handle this crisis?" Yu Sheng'an countered.

"Aside from shrinking our defenses, there's nothing else we can do. The Plen Union Kingdom and even the Bayer Empire won't stand by and watch the Five Great Righteous Gods swallow Keville whole."

Dandell sighed:

"But this time, the Five Great Righteous Gods are coming with overwhelming force. With only the strength of us three Gods of Magic, we can only trade space for time. If other factions act too slowly, perhaps we can only preserve Willis."

At these words, Kexian's heart nearly stopped.

Only Willis left?

If they're reduced to a city-state, Keville is finished.

No people, no land, no mineral resources, no resources—this essentially equates to cutting off the possibility of nurturing high-level mages, let alone Great Gods of Magic.

When the three Great Gods of Magic fall, it will likely mark the complete demise of Keville.

No—if only Willis remains, its output would never suffice to sustain the needs of three Great Gods of Magic. By then, internal strife alone would be enough to bring about the empire’s downfall.

At this thought, Kexian’s gaze settled on Yu Sheng’an.

No matter how much he resented Yu Sheng’an for drawing the attention of the Five Great Righteous Gods, he couldn’t deny one fact: they had already boarded the chariot of the Internet God.

At this moment, not only Kexian but the three Great Gods of Magic also instinctively turned their eyes to Yu Sheng’an.

They all realized that the outcome of this crisis—whether they would emerge with a pyrrhic victory, a narrow escape, or simply hold onto their current foundation—depended entirely on the depth of the Internet God’s power.

Yu Sheng’an pondered briefly before speaking:

"Of the Five Great Righteous Gods, three have mobilized this time. The remaining two are likely stationed in Stord. Of course, we can’t rule out the possibility of a sudden attack from them."

"Thus, our main enemies are three, with one potential reinforcement. On our side, we have five..."

"Five?" Dandell was stunned.

"The Music Goddess is my ally. Persuading her to assist won’t be difficult," Yu Sheng’an explained.

"That’s excellent! Aphnora is a long-renowned Great God of Magic. With her help, the pressure will be much lighter," Beixi exclaimed in delight.

Yu Sheng’an sighed inwardly.

As expected, musical authority was regarded as the most useless of all in the eyes of others.

The first thing they thought of when mentioning her was her mastery as a Great God of Magic, not her musical authority.

How laughable and absurd!

He wondered what expressions they would wear when they finally witnessed the true might of musical authority.

"Can the four of you hold off the God of Death and the God of Life?" Yu Sheng’an asked.

"Long-term defense would be difficult, but holding out for two or three months shouldn’t be a problem," Qimoer replied.

"Are you saying you’ll take on the God of War yourself?" Dandell asked, visibly shocked.

"Exactly," Yu Sheng’an nodded.

"How confident are you? This time, the God of War hasn’t just mobilized 100,000 soldiers—he’s also sent six Martial Saints and one Martial God! And that’s just the intel we have. There’s no telling if he has hidden forces," Beixi questioned, skepticism written all over his face.