Guardian of the Realm
After Leylin’s progression to rank 3 and the defeat of the dark elves, all the dissent and secret plots in the central region quieted down as if they had never existed.
As a newly promoted rank 3 Magus full of vitality, one who wasn’t struggling to even protect the realm, Leylin could easily find the time to destroy those guilds that did not subject themselves to his rule. He was poised to control Twilight Zone for centuries to come.
Faced with the pressure from such great power, no matter how unwilling the Magi in the central region were, they dared not offend him.
At this moment, the few survivors from other guilds appeared, diminishing all talk against Leylin.
They were all elite Magi from different guilds, and a few rank 2 judges were also among them. They joined together to testify that what Leylin had said before was the truth, which waived all doubts immediately.
They were all Leylin’s captives at that time. Those rank 2 Magi had long since submitted to Leylin. They were not fools. Knowing Leylin’s power and their own waning influence, most of them recognised the truth.
Of course, there were some stubborn ones that all perished gloriously in the “war.”
Twilight Zone year 5783. Aided by his rank 3 power and the glory of defeating the dark elves, Leylin was pronounced the Guardian of the Realm under the witness of many Magi in the central region.
From then, Leylin became the sole power controlling Twilight Zone’s Magi, and the sacrifices and darkness behind his radiant glory were often ignored by the masses.
People would only end up remembering Leylin’s glorious achievement of defeating the dark elves. They composed folk songs and legends in his praise, leaving out the hard work of Baelin, Aaron, Vinas, and even the previous Guardian. Those names were buried beneath the documents and historical records concerning Leylin’s eternal brilliance, and his legend continued.
After succeeding the title of the Guardian of the Realm, the first order Leylin passed was aimed at making Nature’s Alliance the core strength of Twilight Zone. He gathered large masses of Magi to construct the Nature’s Alliance Academy at the heart of the central region.
Although Leylin had not planned to do so originally, the present him did have the strength to implement the academy system, reaping great rewards in the process.
After establishing the Nature’s Alliance Academy, a few large-scale guilds who had good relationships with the Alliance made a high-profile announcement. They would merge with Nature’s Alliance Academy to form a formidable guild. Of course, this was all due to Leylin’s control in the background.
Following that, Leylin no longer had to worry. The rapidly rising academy naturally edged out other nearby guilds, continually expanding its capability and area of influence.
It was clear to Leylin that the south coast’s model was more just and fair than the guild system followed by Twilight Zone. They had also relinquished the tradition of inheritance from master to disciple. Although there were still many mentors, very few of them continued treating their acolytes like slaves.
Furthermore, how many acolytes could a mentor take on? How could they compare to the large-scale classrooms of an academy?
Many large guilds started to relinquish their narrow-minded restriction of meditation techniques to combine forces, as it would definitely be much stronger than the strength of individual guilds.
This was the success of the system! It was also the improvement of an era, once it became a trend, it could not be stopped!
The guilds that were left behind, in order to not be overshadowed by the academies, also had to establish institutes and enroll many acolytes to survive.
This allowed talented commoners to have a very good chance.
Academies that were more free and open could also accept roaming Magi. Without the meditation technique restriction, it became much simpler for roaming Magi who wanted to join academies.
Leylin had noticed this long ago. Although guilds that practised the same kind of meditation technique were very united, they also became highly xenophobic. After joining a guild, if a Magi did not practice that guild’s meditation technique, they became targets for ostracization.
But academies did not face this problem. The flames of the revolution started by Longbottom were also snuffed out gradually by the institution of academies.
Leylin did not actually mind this. What he prioritised was still the meditation techniques of the guilds and their valued research.
Indeed! Under the advocation of fair, just, transparent and free communication by the academy’s rules, guilds that joined the academy had to contribute their unique meditation techniques and some precious research.
Under Leylin’s leadership, this large amount of precious information was stored in the academy’s library for all Magi to peruse, and this trend developed ardently.
It must be said that after relinquishing the narrow-minded notion of a guild, such open communication and probing indeed benefitted the Magi a lot, causing the Magi of Twilight Zone to improve their abilities.
As for these meditation techniques and research, all of it was naturally kindly accepted by Leylin, greatly increasing the A.I chip’s database.
It can be said that at this point in time, a large portion of Twilight Zone’s meditation techniques and high-level research was pocketed by Leylin, including all precious resources.
Nature’s Alliance was now the most influential in the central region. No matter what Leylin desired, as long as it was within Twilight Zone, he needed but to ask. A large number of commoners, acolytes, rank 1 and even rank 2 Magi would unhesitatingly go get it for him no matter the cost.
This was the benefit of authority.
Time passed.
Twilight Zone, year 5785.
Sensing that every party had completed their preparations, Leylin, with his title of Guardian of the Realm, sent out an appeal ordering alliance forces from all regions to recapture the north!
Indeed! After murdering Anya, Leylin chose to retreat and did not directly attack the North region, but that place was now easily obtainable.
It was very clear to him that though he had exceptional abilities, he first had to sort out his own skills. Although impulsively sending troops to defeat the dark elves, recover their lost lands and gain reputation could work out, the real gains would definitely be reaped by others harbouring ambitious schemes.
In addition, at that point in time, he did not have the title of Guardian of the Realm! Leylin was not foolish enough to fight on the front lines and let the Magi at the back reap the fruit of his efforts.
Hence, he would rather watch on as the north’s remaining dark elves waged war against the dwarves, gnomes, and even themselves, letting them wear themselves out before he would act.
But now, the time was ripe.
Compared to the previous appeal, Leylin was now the Guardian of the Realm, the ruler of Twilight Zone. The orders of the greatest leader of the Magus world naturally carried more weight.
Once the order was passed down, not only did all the guilds in the central region send out Magi and soldiers to form an alliance, even the east, south and west regions sent out large masses to help.
Something worth mentioning was that Leylin only had true control over two regions— the center and the east.
As for the west and south, their attitudes toward Leylin as the Guardian of the Realm were rather ambiguous.
But Leylin did not care, after organising the center and east, relying on the strength of the academies in these two regions was enough to crush the other party.
He had abstained from doing so earlier because his time was occupied by internal restructuring.
But now? The other regions had also sensed that conditions were not favourable for them, and they started to yield.
After all, sending out armies in accordance to the appeal was an act of allegiance.
Leylin stroked his chin, the corners of his mouth curled up in amusement.
North Twilight Zone.
Throngs of troops lined up neatly and advanced forward constantly.
Meanwhile at the back were large numbers of Magi riding peculiar transports.
The troops were neat and orderly, and unified by the same order, compared to the previous army organised by Leylin, this one seemed much more powerful.
Due to the passing of the dark elven empress three years ago, most of the dark elves had already withdrawn from north Twilight Zone. Only some of the more stubborn members of their race were left struggling along with the dwarves and gnomes.
And such strength, to a congregation of many Magi, especially the human troops led by Leylin, was as insignificant as dust.
The troops had an irresistible force. They conquered expansive plots of land by barely expending any energy and even pushed through to Potti city.
At the entrance of the city, the flag of the dark eves could be seen flying high, amidst thick smog, giving off an ominous feel.
“Potti City! The original line of defence of the north, and also the place where Protector Yade died!” Leylin looked at the few dark elves and sneered, “This is a strategic border town, could it be the dark elves are still dreaming of dividing the land with us?”
“Pass down the order, all troops are to pitch camp here, we will attack tomorrow!”
Leylin casually passed the order to his left and right-hand men, and they passed down the message layer by layer. The entire troop stopped and found themselves suitable spaces to pitch camps. At the moment, the Magi and normal soldiers were busy, but they were not in disorder, displaying the good control Leylin had over his army.
In the center of the closely packed camps was a big gold tent, decorated with exquisite gemstones and incense. There were even teams of Magi patrolling outside of it.
Although the Guardian of the Realm did not fancy all this, it was necessary etiquette.
“Hm?” Leylin who was meditating in the middle of the gold tent suddenly opened his eyes and his mouth turned into a smile.
After a few minutes, a congratulatory voice could be heard “Master!”
“Enter!”
The front curtain was unveiled and a middle-aged man with white hair entered, his being radiated with the scary energy of a rank 2 Magi, but at this moment, he kneeled down on one knee as a form of respect to Leylin.
“Reporting to master! There is a rank 2 matriarch of the dark elves who claims to be an old friend and wants to see you!”
“An old friend?” Leylin smiled, “Let her in.”