Over the vast ocean, the sea breeze blew across the endless waves.
The ocean's waters surged back and forth across the surface, and dozens of Imperial warships followed their course through the great ocean, heading toward the New World—Lustria.
Lustria was a land of mystery and grandeur. For the past five centuries, adventurers from Estalia, knights from Bretonnia, and explorers from Tilea had ventured there, returning with incredible wealth.
"Gold everywhere, but danger everywhere too," was what every adventurer who returned from Lustria would say. It was a land where one could dig gold, silver, and gemstones from any ruin. But at the same time, the natives there did not welcome outsiders. Their hearts and actions were as savage as their appearance, and many adventurers, having made a fortune, would never return to that place, no matter the price.
The first successful explorer of Lustria was Marco Columbus, a Tilean mercenary captain. During a legendary expedition, he ventured into Lustria and managed to establish contact with the Lizardmen. Marco Columbus was the sole survivor of his expedition, almost being swallowed by a giant beast, but he was rescued by a Skink Priest, who brought him to a Lizardmen temple pyramid. There, Marco Columbus met a Slann Priest-Mage, who greeted him and told him that the Old Ones had long foretold his arrival and that their meeting was destined.
Marco Columbus thus established a friendly relationship with the Lizardmen. He was gifted a set of magical Slann jewelry, a Slann gourd, and twelve chests of treasure. After witnessing a great battle between the Lizardmen and the Dark Elves, he returned to the Old World, bringing back countless legends.
With his newfound wealth, Marco Columbus became one of Tilea's most powerful mercenary warlords and even returned to Lustria for a second expedition, fighting alongside the Lizardmen against invading Norse tribes.
Marco Columbus's success drove the Old World into a frenzy, sparking the Age of Exploration. Hundreds of fleets were assembled by Old World nobles hungry for gold and glory and dispatched to Lustria.
However, except for a few ships that returned laden with gold and silver, most vanished without a trace.
As time passed, the Empire and Bretonnia, facing mounting external pressures, largely abandoned attempts to colonize Lustria, focusing instead on closer targets like Araby and the island of Ulthuan. Only Estalia and Tilea, relatively free from external threats and enjoying prolonged peace, remained fixated on Lustria's wealth. Despite fleets constantly disappearing, these two nations persistently sent expeditionary forces, hoping to carve out new territories in that magical land.
Besides, the expeditions weren't entirely fruitless.
A few years ago, a Tilean expedition successfully established a forward base on the Isthmus of Lustria. The mercenaries not only made landfall but also secured vast amounts of treasure from the Lizardmen. Shiploads of gold were transported back to Tilea, sparking a massive wave of excitement.
Power, fame, strength—the man who held the wealth of all Lustria, Ashen Legion Commander Fugan, became a figure of legend. When he returned to the Old World to recruit soldiers, adventurers, mercenaries, and explorers flocked to Lustria.
"Do you want wealth? Do you want glory?"
"If you want it, it's all yours! Just seek it out at the end of the Great Route!"
Fugan's success proved that Lustria's exploration was still full of opportunities. When he came to the Old World to recruit, Estalians and Tileans flocked to join the Ashen Legion, eager to head to Lustria.
The Empire, however, scoffed at Fugan's recruitment.
Fugan? Where did this guy come from?
Ashen Legion? Never heard of it!
To the Empire's nobles, this so-called legion commander was a traitor, a traitor to humanity. That he consorted with the Lizardmen was an unforgivable crime. If our Witch Hunters or the Church caught him, they'd surely burn him at the stake.
Hmm~ It's said he's the brother of Ryan-Malcador?
In that case, we'll be lenient—let his brother pay his ransom.
Thus, not only did the Empire refuse Fugan's offer of cooperation, but under Karl Franz's rule, Reikland secretly assembled a new army, the Imperial Lustria Expeditionary Force. This army, composed of 8,000 soldiers, was sent to the New World in three waves.
Amidst the sea breeze and waves, the Imperial warships sailed at full speed. Imperial Huntsmarshal Erik von Schanger stood proudly on the deck, looking out over the distant ocean. "Soldiers, sailors, we've reached the Spider Sea. In a week, we'll arrive at the Temple of Tzunkan. The vanguard has already established an outpost there."
"Oh! That's wonderful! Praise Karl Franz."
"By Charlemagne, I'm sick of this ocean."
"I can't wait to get into action."
"I hear there are lots of giant beasts in the forest. Their meat must be delicious. We can roast it, stew it, or fry it! Look, I even brought a big iron pot this time!"
"Hahaha~"
The Imperial sailors and soldiers joked among themselves, feeling like they were on a pleasure cruise. Each dreamed of striking it rich, laughing and chatting. Huntsmarshal Erik held a bottle of rum in one hand and an orange in the other.
Stocking up on long-lasting fruits like oranges to prevent scurvy during long voyages was a lesson learned from the High Elves, which the Empire had dutifully followed.
"Alright, everyone, don't let your guard down. Lustria isn't a vacation spot," Erik reminded his soldiers not to be careless. "The natives there have never welcomed us. We don't know how that man Fugan managed to ally with the Lizardmen, but we are proud Imperial men, here by the name of Emperor Karl Franz. We will never bow or submit to the Lizardmen, so we must prepare to fight these jungle dwellers."
"Let them come!" an Imperial captain, full of enthusiasm, exclaimed. "Listen up, lads. Fugan and his Ashen Legion are nothing but a bunch of nobodies and weaklings! They're just a ragtag group of southern levies and mercenaries who got a little gold by selling themselves to the Lizardmen. But our Imperial army is nothing like them!"
"Yeah, who knows how Fugan even hooked up with the Lizardmen," the ship's first mate casually remarked.
"Hey, I heard a rumor that this so-called Ashen Legion commander is incredibly handsome. Really, really handsome," an Imperial soldier said crudely. "Maybe he's just a pretty boy?"
"Hahahahahahaha~" Huntsmarshal Erik von Schanger and the others burst into laughter, thoroughly enjoying the joke.
The earlier warnings about being cautious and vigilant were now forgotten.
"What about the Bretonnian?" After some laughter, the Huntsmarshal suddenly remembered something.
"He's resting in the cabin, possibly praying," one of the Imperial men replied, his tone growing serious.
The Bretonnian in the cabin was no ordinary man.
"I see," Huntsmarshal Erik thought for a moment and then said to the first mate, "If he needs anything, try to accommodate him. He's... well, you all know he's connected to Duke Ryan. These past few years, relations between the Empire and the Knightly Kingdom over the mountains have been good. If our actions cause a diplomatic incident, you'll all be court-martialed!"
"Understood!"
The warship continued to sail through the Spider Sea.
A week later...
"My knight, my brave knight."
"I have a sacred and great mission to entrust to you."
"Your years of expeditions have tempered your soul and body, your valor and wisdom. You have slain evil beasts, upheld the spirit of chivalry, and challenged powerful and terrifying enemies, displaying courage on grand battlefields."
"Therefore, I entrust this sacred mission to you."
"Go to the New World, to Lustria. There, you will join Ryan's brother Fugan. Moonlight and clear springs will guide your path."
"When you are in need, seek my presence in the land of pure streams."
The expedition knight knelt in the cabin, recalling the Lady of the Lake's guidance. His eyes were tightly shut, and golden locks of medium-length hair fell across his cheeks. His handsome yet stern face showed no emotion.
His armor was worn and tattered, the masterfully crafted greatsword made by Dwarven smiths when he set out had several nicks, and his surcoat was torn in many places. Even his helmet bore a deep claw mark.
Only the golden icon of the Lady of the Lake remained as pristine as ever. The expedition knight carefully polished the icon, recalling the goddess's revelation.
*Knock, knock, knock* Just as he was deep in prayer, there was a knock on the cabin door, interrupting his thoughts. He was clearly displeased. "What is it?"
"Sir, lunch is ready, and General Erik asked me to inform you that we'll reach the Temple of Tzunkan by dusk today." The person outside the door was evidently aware of the knight's displeasure.
"...I understand. Leave it at the door." The knight's sea-blue eyes were filled with displeasure, but he remembered he was on an Imperial warship, so he decided to hold his temper.
"Alright, thank you." The sailor at the door, eager to please, placed the tray on the floor and quickly left.
The knight opened the door, ate his lunch, and then returned to his original position to continue praying.
A few hours later, the Imperial expeditionary
force made landfall in Lustria.
On the coast of Lustria, the Imperial vanguard had already established a makeshift camp and port. They had felled hundreds of jungle trees to build a wooden wall and set up hundreds of tents. The vanguard, numbering around 2,000 men, had already carved out a path. Many patrols, armed with torches, roamed the area. Despite it being November, the heat was oppressive, with temperatures exceeding twenty degrees Celsius. As the Imperial warships docked and began unloading, the humid and warm wind made the soldiers uncomfortable. Accustomed to the dry, cold climate of the Imperial Black Forest, their bodies struggled to adapt to Lustria's climate.
Cursing and grumbling, the sailors and soldiers began unloading the cargo. The Imperial expeditionary force had no particularly elite units. Its core consisted of Imperial swordsmen, spearmen, archers, and crossbowmen, forming a colonial force. Their only war machine was a mortar, along with some horses and two hundred muskets prepared by Reikland's nobles.
Even so, Huntsmarshal Erik remained full of ambition. He strode off the warship, casting his gaze toward the distance as the last light of dusk faded.
Just two kilometers from the beach camp, the multi-layered canopy of trees obscured the sky, with mountains and plateaus covered by the dense jungle. In some distant views, trees hundreds of feet tall could be seen, older than the human race itself. The jungle floor was choked with thick underbrush, with no true roads except for animal paths. Visibility was limited, the air heavy and often shrouded in mist.
"Hey, it's a great place to strike it rich," Erik grinned. Lush fern-filled valleys? Giant, towering trees and moss-covered floodplains?
This is the perfect hunting ground for us Imperial hunters!
"What's the situation? How much do you know about the current situation?" Erik called over the vanguard officer.
"The Temple of Tzunkan is about sixty kilometers from here," the vanguard officer saluted. "We've already sent out several waves of scouts. The temple seems to have been abandoned for a long time, with no sign of Lizardmen. The scouts found a lot of... General, you really should see this!"
Several Imperial soldiers approached the Huntsmarshal, carrying a large sack. The sack was filled with gold, silver, and dazzling emeralds!
"Fantastic! The Emperor will love this!" the Huntsmarshal laughed heartily. He ordered his men to stash the treasure, to be sent back to the Empire later. "Excellent, soldiers! We will press on until all the wealth of this land belongs to us—for the Empire, for Charlemagne, for Karl Franz!"
"Yes!" The Imperial troops were filled with a thirst for wealth and glory. "For the Empire!"
The expedition knight was among the last to disembark. His iron boots landed on Lustria's soil, and he noticed that Huntsmarshal Erik was arguing with a group of soldiers clad in purple armor. "What's going on?"
A nearby sailor explained, "It's the Ashen Legion—a bunch of traitors!"
The knight ignored the sailor and strode closer.
"This is a warning from the Ashen Legion. Imperial men, do not venture into the jungle," a group of Ashen Legion soldiers, wearing finely crafted breastplates, triangular helmets, and carrying swords and shields, argued with the Imperial general under the leadership of an officer. "Don't go west—it's dangerous. There are countless Greenskin tribes there. Don't go east—it's dangerous. There are endless vampire pirates and undead armies. Don't go south—it's even more dangerous!"
"Haha, then where can we go?" Erik roared in frustration. "North? Go back the way we came? Enough of this! You traitors, just because we're all humans doesn't mean I'm letting you stay. Get lost, now!"
"No, don't do this. We're giving you sound advice!" The Ashen Legion officer was trembling with anger. "Remember, don't take what isn't yours, or disaster will follow!"
Before he could finish, the Huntsmarshal had already lost patience. He clapped his hands, and dozens of shortbows, several crossbows, and a few muskets were aimed at the Ashen Legion soldiers. "Enough! We don't want to hear your rumors. Leave, or we'll kill you!"
The Ashen Legion soldiers and their officer wore grim expressions as they left, their faces twisted with sneers and scorn. The Imperial soldiers thought that might be their last act of defiance.
"Hmph, they made their fortune and don't want anyone else to. Lustria's wealth belongs to everyone!" Erik sneered. "We'll rest for two days. Then, we'll march south to the Temple of Tzunkan. Gold, silver, and gems—all ours!"
"Oh oh oh!"
The expedition knight remained expressionless. He pulled out some coins and bought a significant amount of food and supplies from the Imperial expeditionary force, then followed the departing Ashen Legion soldiers into the jungle of Lustria.
A few hours later, deep within the dark and mysterious jungles of Lustria...
"Great Lord, new human forces have arrived in Lustria."
"Are they reinforcements from the Children of the Old Ones?"
"No, they seem to come from another human kingdom, calling themselves the Empire. They refuse to heed the warnings of the Children of the Old Ones..."
"If they are not reinforcements from the Children of the Old Ones, then it doesn't matter. These foolish warm-blooded ones will only hinder the Great Plan. They must be eliminated."
"Gor-Rok, deal with these warm-blooded ones."
"Yes!"
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