Versatile Mage: Get the Desert Emperor clone at the start

Chapter 415 Savior or Oppressor? Indian City Building
On the Indian coastline where murky seawater laps against the shore.

The remaining power of the Holy City and the Parthenon is regaining its sense of existence as a powerful force in an almost cathartic way.

The healing sages of the Parthenon move among the panicked and wounded crowd.

Their hands flow with healing radiance, soothing wounds.

This healing power is almost a miracle for these ordinary people.

With the combined efforts of both sides.

One side used absolute violence to wipe out the sea monsters, while the other side used selfless benevolence to heal the wounds.

The localized flooding and siren infestation caused by rising sea levels were quickly quelled.

The crisis is temporarily over.

The healing mages of the Parthenon began to actively talk to the still-shaken people, and their gentle manner easily won their trust.

Meanwhile, having suffered a crushing defeat in Europe, they fled eastward in panic, traversing the perilous continent of Africa. They knew almost nothing about the current power structure and distribution of power in Asia and were in dire need of intelligence.

He immediately summoned several mages known for their shrewdness and stealth.

He ordered in a deep voice: "Go, find out the true situation of the Asian magic world. Be careful and don't alert them."

Several mages accepted the order and left, their figures quickly disappearing.

Their efficiency was unexpectedly high; before it was completely dark, they had all returned.

The leading monk stepped forward, bowed to Michael, Raphael, and the temple's matriarch Pamis, and reported solemnly:

"My lord, the situation has been investigated. The Asian Magic Association is now completely controlled by Su Lu."

"This person...this person used some kind of secret technique to successfully form a contract with the Black Dragon Emperor who escaped from the European battlefield!"

"With this absolute power, he has already ascended to the throne of the Asian Magic Association, wielding immense power."

“In addition,” another mage added, “the Zu family and other major traditional forces that originally occupied Asia have also clearly stated that they will obey his orders under the absolute power of the Black Dragon.”

"The entire Asian magic world, at least on the surface, has fallen under Su Lu's rule."

After the report was completed, the monks stood with their heads bowed, awaiting the decision of the higher-ups.

Their original plan was to rely on their remaining strength and the former supreme prestige of the Holy City and Parthenon.

Head straight to the Burj Khalifa and seize, or at least dominate, the Asian Magic Association with lightning speed, using it as a springboard and foundation for their return to the world stage of power.

However, the plan wavered after hearing the name "Black Dragon Emperor".

They suffered heavy losses in Africa due to pursuit by the Shurima Empire, and Archangel Remiel had also fallen.

Their strength at this moment is far greater than it used to be.

And the other party actually controlled a Black Dragon Emperor!
That was a terrifying existence capable of directly confronting an archangel in his prime!
These angels from the holy city are inherently proud and accustomed to looking down on all living beings.

But they are not fools. Their experience in power struggles has taught them that, at any time and in any place, real power is the only cornerstone of the right to speak.

Prestige and history are powerless in the face of an absolute power disparity.

If they were to rashly travel to Dubai now, as down-on-their-luck fugitives, and demand to take over a massive organization ruled by a powerful figure who controls the Black Dragon Emperor... how would the other side react?

Should we greet them respectfully, or... expel them by force?
The answer was almost self-evident. After a brief silence and exchange of glances, a more pragmatic and restrained strategy replaced the original idea.

“We… need to change our plans.” Michael’s voice was low, tinged with reluctance.

“Indeed!” Raphael replied, his gaze sweeping over the devastated surroundings and the awe-inspiring crowd.

“We need a foothold, a base where we can recuperate, regain our strength, and rediscover this new era.”

The temple's matriarch, Pamis, nodded slowly. "The best course of action is to unite our remaining forces, establish a firm foothold here, accumulate strength, and observe the situation."

Thus, the Holy City and the Parthenon became two forces that may have once been at odds.

Faced with shared hardship and the pressures of reality, they temporarily set aside the past and chose to unite.

After surveying the area, they selected a medium-sized Indian base city that had suffered relatively minor damage from previous marine transgressions and still had some of its infrastructure intact.

The city is of moderate size, neither too conspicuous nor too small, yet it has a sufficient foundation for transformation and development.

With the decision made, action was immediately taken.

The surviving mages, whether they were Templar Knights skilled in combat or Parthenon Priests proficient in healing and protection, all devoted themselves to rebuilding their homeland.

Earth-elemental mages reinforced the city walls and rebuilt the foundation;
The light-elemental mage inscribed protective runes and purified the remaining impurities;

The water-based sorcerer dredged the stagnant water and brought in fresh, flowing water...

A new city, incorporating the Gothic spires of the Holy City, the elegant colonnades of the Parthenon, and local architectural elements, began to take shape on the ruins.

They naturally also called on local residents to participate in the construction.

On the one hand, manpower is indeed needed;
On the other hand, this is also a process of establishing the foundation of rule and selecting suitable people.

For the vast majority of ordinary people, being able to obtain the protection of these powerful mages and stay away from the threat of sea monsters is already an immense stroke of luck.

They were assigned to perform basic manual labor, such as clearing rubble, moving materials, and building houses.

Then a very real problem emerged – food.

Mages possess immense power, easily slaying demons and building cities, but they would never, and could never, personally plant crops or cultivate vegetables.

Maintaining the daily operations of a stronghold or even a potentially expanding force, especially the most basic survival supplies, depends on a large population of ordinary people.

As a result, large tracts of land were planned around the newly built city, and the people, under the limited protection provided by the mages, began to resume agricultural production, becoming an indispensable "logistics force" for this emerging stronghold.

However, beneath this seemingly harmonious reconstruction scene lies a different story.

The deeply entrenched, authoritarian-leaning system of governance in the Holy City also began to quietly emerge.

Decision-making power was highly concentrated in Michael's hands, and the common people and low-ranking mages had no choice but to obey.

The allocation of resources and the apportionment of labor were clearly characterized by hierarchy and coercion.

These Indian people, having just escaped the fangs of the siren, have now fallen into another form of dependence.

They may be grateful, or they may simply accept it numbly, but faced with the absolute power of the Holy City, they have no choice but to obey.

(End of this chapter)