Julius woke like a man surfacing from deep water.
His breath shuddered in his chest.
His skin prickled, sweat-damp beneath the cloak he hadn't remembered pulling around himself.
And yet, when his eyes focused, it wasn't the ash-choked streets of Rome that met him—but canvas.
His tent.
Back in the present.
The scent of lamp oil and cooled iron grounded him.
Slowly, he sat up.
The System's afterimage still shimmered faintly before his eyes, translucent yet undeniable:
Event: Faith & Fire – Complete
Branch: Nero Variant – Legacy Altered
Overall Rank: S
Then came the rewards.
He forced himself to study the display, memorizing every line as if it were gospel.
+30,000 System Points
A fortune as far as the midgame was concerned this alone was worth more than all he'd gained in his recent campaigns against Ramus, and the retaking of the Carthaginian Kingdom.
