After the bloody conflict in the Alva River Valley that shocked the border...
Disputes over the core interest of territorial sovereignty led the Duchy of Haltai and the Duchy of Abel to issue fiercely worded official statements almost simultaneously. They launched harsh condemnations and rebukes at each other, and the air was instantly thick with the scent of gunpowder.
Meanwhile.
Other duchies, whether they had close or distant relationships, existing or non-existing conflicts of interest, or even minor frictions with these two major duchies...
Seemed to be quietly manipulated by invisible hands behind the scenes, gradually dividing and gathering.
Eventually forming three distinct factions: neutral observers, those openly supporting the Duchy of Haltai, and those staunchly backing the Duchy of Abel.
As for the powerful kingdoms that formed the true pillars and core of the Lothern Federation...
Their reactions appeared unusually calm.
One could even say they were indifferent.
They seemed to turn a blind eye to the escalating conflict between the duchies right under their noses, showing no concern for such petty squabbles. They simply followed the federation's ancient rules and regulations that had been in operation for hundreds of years, methodically initiating mediation procedures and sending envoys to the Duchy of Haltai and the Duchy of Abel as a matter of routine, attempting to quell the dispute.
However, this time.
The attitudes of the two major duchies were completely different from the past.
They did not choose to compromise or retreat under the pressure of the kingdom's mediation as they had in the past.
Instead.
They were like angered hedgehogs, each bringing out dusty boundary treaties and historical documents that could be traced back hundreds of years, citing precedents and arguing their cases with reason.
They refused to yield an inch at the negotiating table, displaying an unprecedentedly tough stance.
They were determined to firmly grasp the disputed areas where sovereignty was ambiguous and both sides claimed legal rights.
Thus.
Under the complex maneuvering and influence of various forces, after more than five exhausting years of long diplomatic tug-of-war and small-scale border frictions.
In the late summer of the 256th year of the new calendar, on an exceptionally sunny day.
The Duchy of Haltai and the Duchy of Abel brazenly tore up the core treaty that the federation relied on to maintain internal peace, and formally issued declarations of war filled with hostility and flames of war to each other.
As of now.
Those powerful kingdoms with deep foundations remained sitting on high platforms like rocks, maintaining an unfathomable patience and silence.
They watched the escalation of the conflict at the Duchy level with cold eyes, as if silently waiting for a key moment to arrive, or perhaps hoarding some deeper scheme.
However.
The positions of the numerous duchies within the federation had changed drastically during this half-year of saber-rattling.
The neutral duchies that once tried to stay out of it had almost disappeared.
They either clearly sided with the Duchy of Haltai or firmly chose to support the Duchy of Abel.
Although the duchies in opposing camps had not yet directly engaged in full-scale war like the Duchy of Haltai and the Duchy of Abel...
Due to historical territorial disputes, trade frictions, or old grudges, the hostility and gunpowder scent between them quickly became thick and scorching, like dry wood thrown into sparks. There were constant frictions along the borders, small-scale conflicts occurred from time to time, and the air seemed to be frozen with tension.
The bloody border conflict that served as the fuse was called the "Alva River Valley Incident."
Meanwhile.
Just as the countries of the Lothern Federation were harboring ulterior motives, undercurrents were surging, and the situation was changing...
In that forgotten, wild land located at the junction of the Serel Wilderness and the Permafrost Tundra, far from the hustle and bustle of the civilized world.
The Molten Iron Tribe, this beast, had been developing rapidly like a wildfire over the past five years.
The momentum was fierce and eye-catching.
Thanks to the amazing tenacity of the monster race and their almost fanatical desire to reproduce, the population of the major tribes within the tribe had expanded rapidly like a snowball, showing explosive growth.
In addition, thanks to the tempering of blood and fire in the previous cruel wars.
Just like refined steel removing Impurities and revealing its sharpness during forging, batches of powerful leaders and elite warriors, capable of holding their own, emerged continuously in every corner of the tribe like mushrooms growing wildly in the forest after rain.
However, behind the gratifying expansion and growth of power, there were also shortcomings that could not be ignored.
One of the core projects the tribe had the highest hopes for.
The Dragon-Forged Warriors transformation project was currently stuck in an anxious state of stagnation.
Green Dragon Ludwig and Black Dragon Serafina had both successfully taken their positions, embarking on the paths of Natural Dragon and Undead Dragon respectively, and were simplifying and dismantling the Dragon-bloodline ritual according to the tribe's requirements, and there was a large supply of living creatures for research, but because their Rank was not high, and their understanding of life, flesh, and Soul was slightly lacking, the Dragon-Forged Warriors transformation project had no effective progress for the time being.
Blue Dragon Heriam and Red Dragon Cahill had also completed their positions as Storm Dragon and Wild Dragon.
It must be said that White Dragon Tereshi was very good at motivating other little dragons to become stronger.
In the Black Iron Plain—the industrial heartland of the Molten Iron Tribe—earth-shaking changes were also taking place.
Relying on the digestion and absorption of the alchemy heritage of the Golden Tooth Tribe, continuous technical exploration, and the leaning of resources and policies, the scale and complexity of the Molten Iron Tribe's alchemy industrial system had expanded several times over in just five years.
Although that ambitious concept—letting multiple intelligent creatures coordinate to control a super-giant golem—was still stuck in the drawing and small-scale verification stage, and there was still a long way to go before actual deployment.
However.
The number of combat golems that were rooted in various important strongholds of the Molten Iron Tribe like steel guards, ready to crush all invading enemies at any time, far exceeded the total of the Golden Tooth Tribe in its heyday.
In short.
The Molten Iron Tribe now, all the Vassal Legion, its scale had almost expanded to the limit of what the current resource output of The Borderlands could support, and the overall strength of the tribe had reached an unprecedented Peak.
It was strong and well-equipped!
—A massive monster legion screened by the flames of war filled the camps in the wilderness.
It was well-prepared!
—From basic industry to high-end leaders, from resource reserves to organizational structure, a solid and relatively complete system had been built.
It was loyal and cohesive!
—The faith and awe towards the Death Omen Star high on the throne in Dragon Valley had long been deeply imprinted in the hearts of every member of the tribe.
Its morale was at its Peak!
—After five years of sharpening weapons and surging strength, the entire tribe was filled with a fervent desire for battle.
All warriors were rubbing their fists, all golem engines were roaring and warming up, and all eyes were eagerly cast towards the direction of Dragon Valley.
They were ready at all times.
Just waiting for the order from their supreme King, they would set off another wave of iron and fire, conquering vast territories for him and seizing more dazzling glory.
At this moment.
The King of the Borderlands—Gallos Ignas, covered in dragon scales that looked like they were cast from black-red metal and shimmering with metallic luster—had just finished his essential daily arduous training.