Below the realm of the Deities, anyone who comprehends Unity with Nature—that is, grasps even a thread of a Profound Mystery—can break past the shackles at the peak of the Ninth Rank and step into the Sanctuary Realm.
Comprehend three-tenths of a Profound Mystery, and you are a mid-stage Sanctuary.
Comprehend five-tenths, and you are a late-stage Sanctuary.
Comprehend one-tenth in full, and you are a peak Sanctuary.
Comprehend ninety-nine percent, and you become the strongest possible existence below the Deity level.
This stage was known as the Sanctuary Limit.
The Emperor of the Frostsnow Empire, Celes, had sensed from Locke's body an aura surpassing five-tenths of a Profound Mystery.
In other words—
Locke was now considered a late-stage Sanctuary expert.
"With your strength, you qualify to serve as a Legion Commander."
Celes continued calmly:
"Just so happens… over twenty years ago, the Frostsnow Empire's newly formed Fifth Legion was annihilated by the Radiant Temple."
Locke fell silent.
Over twenty years ago, he had been a member of that very Fifth Legion.
Had he not possessed a few lifesaving cards, he would have perished along with the main force.
"These years, I've rebuilt a new legion. Its purpose is to strike back at the Radiant Temple and reclaim the territory they occupied."
"A new legion?"
Locke raised his head, puzzled.
"Your Majesty, I never heard any news of the Empire forming a new legion."
"Forming a legion is itself a signal of war."
Celes explained:
"Truthfully, before sensing your presence, I was hesitant to initiate this mobilization."
"Thus, I had the new Legion Commander draw elites from the existing legions—no mass conscription, no public announcement."
Locke suddenly understood.
Pulling elites from other legions meant there was no need to recruit new troops, and the formed legion would naturally be entirely composed of veterans.
In terms of combat strength, it far surpassed the Fifth Legion from twenty years prior.
It seemed the Emperor had never truly let go of that past defeat.
Hands clasped behind his back, Celes asked:
"Locke, do you know how the Fifth Legion was destroyed back then?"
Locke shook his head.
At that time he had only been an attached mage—how could he know the truth?
What he remembered was this:
In one of the battles with the Radiant Temple's Knight Orders, several Forbidden Spells descended directly into the Fifth Legion's ranks…
And then—nothing remained.
He had escaped only because the Celestial Dance Treasure Wheel obscured him from the knights' senses.
Celes let out a cold laugh.
"The destructive power of Deity-level experts is too great. If the Radiant Pope and I were to fight directly, by the time we exchanged blows… the entire continent of the Wakanda Plane would shatter."
Locke inhaled sharply.
Normal Deities were terrifying enough, but shattering the entire plane's continent in combat required strength at least on the level of a Highgod.
If Celes wasn't exaggerating…
Did that mean both he and the Radiant Pope were Highgod-level beings?
Locke forced himself to listen attentively.
"Thus, the Pope and I agreed to a pact."
"No expert at or above the Deity level may interfere with war."
"The pact states: whenever either the Radiant Temple or the Frostsnow Empire produces a new Sanctuary expert, that side gains the right to launch a proactive offensive."
"Of course, the new Sanctuary may decline to attack. In that case, during an enemy offensive, they are allowed to join in and counterstrike."
"Over twenty years ago, a newly advanced Sanctuary appeared in my Empire. He desired more territory and thus formed the Fifth Legion…"
"Unexpectedly, the Radiant Temple had hidden two Sanctuaries in ambush. They assassinated our Sanctuary expert…"
Locke fell silent.
But it all made sense now.
If the Fifth Legion's Sanctuary had been alive, how could Forbidden Spells have been dropped on their own camp?
"Five years ago, another Ninth-Rank expert—Bolton—advanced to Sanctuary. He too wished to form a legion and attack the Radiant Temple."
"But this time, I told him to wait."
"I wondered… if I waited a little longer, would a miracle occur? Could the Frostsnow Empire produce a second Sanctuary?"
Celes smiled.
"And it seems my luck was excellent. The moment the new legion was completed, I found you."
Locke pressed his lips together.
He never expected that the reason he was discovered… was simply because of the Emperor's "hope."
Celes chuckled, noticing his expression:
"Don't look so unconvinced. Even if I hadn't been waiting for another Sanctuary, every century I sweep the entire Empire with my divine sense, searching for any beasts or humans breaking through."
"After all, establishing a kingdom in a material plane is no trivial matter."
"If a Sanctuary I cannot control appears, I exile them from the Wakanda Plane."
"Even if you escaped this time, in at most twenty years, I would have found you."
"But then, you would face forced expulsion."
Locke felt a weight lift from his heart.
He truly was still too young.
In twenty years, he wasn't certain he could reach the Deity level.
Being exiled into the Divine Realm or Higher Plane as a mere Sanctuary… meant almost certain death.
In this light, being discovered now wasn't the worst outcome.
At least, he had been "cleaned" in a sense.
"Your Majesty Celes, your benevolence humbles me."
After bowing deeply, Locke asked:
"I am willing to offer my strength to Your Majesty. How should I serve?"
Celes laughed heartily and clapped Locke on the shoulder.
"Locke! I hereby appoint you as the Commander of the Sixth Legion — the Tsunami Legion."
"Their encampment is in that direction."
"Once you gain full control of the legion, lead them across the Vidia Domain… and reclaim the lands we lost over twenty years ago!"
(End of Chapter)
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