The Magic Empire for 20,000 years

Chapter 284 The Oath of the Crown: Did they withdraw their troops?
Still quite cautious, not directly accepting the call...

But this is a "call to justice," and you're acting like you're guarding against demons and devils, worried that wielding power will bring risks. If the lawful good of the universe had a personality, it would probably be crying...

El-Erian couldn't help but chuckle to himself, then pretended to think for a moment before saying:

"There is indeed a bit of risk."

"What you have received is the call of the divine source of [Lawful Good]. If you accept it directly, you should gain some divine power and an increase in strength."

"However, if you deviate from the lawful good alignment, or do dishonorable things such as poisoning or lying, you may anger the divine source and cause it to take back the power it has bestowed upon you."

"In that case, you will lose the corresponding blessing."

The requirements for a traditional paladin are extremely strict, even exceeding the level of an ordinary "lawful good" person.

Poisoning, lying, and other such acts are considered dishonorable by the lawful and benevolent divine will of the universe!
Even if I go against it, I'll just revert to my original form and lose the power that never truly belonged to me. It's not much of a risk...

John thought to himself, but didn't interrupt, and simply listened patiently as Elian continued.

El-Erian then added:

“I do have a method that will allow you to receive the blessings of the divine source of the universe with fewer constraints, and to retain and even continuously enhance this divine power for a longer period of time.”

"What method?" John asked, puzzled.

Others may not know the history of the Paladin, this extraordinary profession, but Elion knows it very well.

In the more distant future, in a modern era nearing the end of the world, a more special and novel type of paladin emerged.

—【Oath Paladin】!
The constraints imposed on a sworn paladin depend entirely on the content of the corresponding oath.

As long as the oath is not broken, even if there are major changes in the faction, the power of the paladin class can still be maintained.

Furthermore, compared to faction paladins, sworn paladins' power aligns more closely with their source of faith, resulting in greater combat strength. They possess powerful class traits such as [Holy Slash] and [Guardian Aura], and depending on their oath, they can also draw additional special "oath traits" and divine spells from their oath.

Of course, not just any random oath can create a paladin.

After repeated verification by generations of paladins, only a handful of oaths have been able to be born from them.

The three most typical types are the "Oath of Dedication," which is to sacrifice oneself to uphold the path of goodness; the "Oath of Revenge," which is to willingly bear darkness in pursuit of eradicating evil; and the "Oath of the Ancients," which advocates harmony with nature and protects light and smiles.

As a person from the future, Elion also knew of a rather niche paladin oath that perfectly aligned with the current Paladin oath of Eldoron.

—【The Crown Oath】!
El-Erian flicked his wrist, and a piece of paper with writing on it appeared out of thin air in his hand amidst the pure white mist:
“Here’s what we’ll do, John. Try to calm yourself down and read the words on this paper.”

"Remember, when you recite, open your mind and body and accept the light within your soul. Let that power become a part of you."

John took the paper and began to read it aloud, in a measured and formal manner:
“I firmly believe that the law is supreme, for it is the cornerstone of civilization. Therefore, I am willing to stand up and defend the laws of the Eldoran Empire…”

This oath concerns the laws of the empire, loyalty and courage, responsibility, and includes a vow of allegiance to the monarch and the nation.

As the leader of the pioneering team, John read the entire document very naturally, and from beginning to end, he did not feel that there were any harsh or strange terms in it.

"As stated above, I swear the Crown Oath, that the Divine Source may grant me great power to fulfill the oath I made before the King!"

Seeing this, Elian nodded slightly and spoke in a solemn tone, as if bestowing a knighthood upon someone:
"I accept."

The monarch's approval is the final step in fulfilling the oath of the crown.

The next moment, a brilliant and dazzling light burst forth from John, and the ethereal sound of hymns echoed out.

"This is……"

John stared in astonishment at the divine light emanating from his body.

The Crown Oath is different from other oaths.

This is an oath to uphold the law, to be loyal and responsible, and to pledge allegiance to the monarch.

Whether or not to break an oath rests with the monarch to whom one is loyal.

That is, El-Erian himself!

This is equivalent to exploiting a small bug.

While receiving the blessing of great power, one must follow a specific code of conduct, either perfectly fitting a particular faction or bearing an oath, which carries the possibility of "breaking the oath".

This is the two sides of the paladin profession—

If you want to wear a crown, you must bear its weight!
However, now, Elion has taken advantage of his status as a monarch and the special nature of the [Crown Oath] to directly control the standard for judging oaths!

As the emperor of Eldoron, he was the one who set the imperial laws!
"Looks like it worked. John, try it and see if you gain any new powers."

After receiving Elian's permission, John tried to draw his greatsword and slash at a nearby abyssal plant.

boom!
The moment the greatsword struck its target, a burst of golden, holy light erupted, incinerating the trees before it.

—【The Supreme Slash】!
"Is this supernatural power?"

John then followed the voice in his heart and recited a spell.

A faint golden light emanated from him, spreading around him and causing a shimmering golden glow to appear on him and Elian beside him.

—【Blessing】(First-Circle Divine Spell)!

"Is this a priest's divine magic?"

"I've become a spellcaster?" "Why am I suddenly using priestly magic? I don't believe in any gods!"

John stared in disbelief, constantly testing the new power he had gained from the oath.

"His martial arts skills have also become more refined..."

"I feel like I've established a connection with a celestial mount..."

"My body seems to be radiating some kind of divine light, which enhances my and my teammates' resistance to magic and other strange and extraordinary effects..."

"Am I approaching legendary status now?!"

El-Erian smiled:
"It seems you have indeed received a lot of special treatment."

"Quickly chat with the researchers at the base and share your changes."

Watching John thank him and leave to share his good news with the people at the base, El-Erian's thoughts wandered:

"Following the pattern of extraordinary professions, once the first paladin appears, there will definitely be more paladins to come..."

"In the not-too-distant future, a group of paladins will appear in Eldoron, and they can all be guided to swear the [Crown Oath]..."

"The Paladin's [Holy Slash] and other characteristics are very effective against undead and demons, making them perfect for fighting against abyssal demons..."

"Compared to ordinary lawful good beings, the souls of paladins are more sacred and attract the attention of demons and devils..."

"Since our opponent is Pazuzu—the future demon lord known for his fondness for corrupting paladins—there's probably a considerable amount of room for maneuver here..."

After a plan formed in his mind, Elian's lips curled up slightly.

…………

"What? The lesser lords of the Myriad Abyss Plains are abandoning their territories and fleeing?"

As the Fiery Demon Lord who expanded the empire's territory, Latour was quite surprised to learn of this news from the incoming Quassa Demon.

He flapped his wings and flew into the air, his gaze piercing through the vast, cloudless space.

On the wilderness, bathed in the crimson sunlight, one could see a large army of demons retreating from their territory.

One by one, the lesser lords, leading their most elite demon legions, left the Iron Fortress, abandoned their territories, and began their escape.

As creatures inherently chaotic, such a large-scale demonic march was naturally disorderly. Countless weaker demons either got separated from their pack, stopped in place, or even wandered into other armies. Only a small group of elite main forces could be taken with them.

The direction these demon legions were marching was none other than the highest stone mountain in the Abyss Plains, the mountain where the Pazuzu Tower was located.

Latour burst into laughter upon seeing this:

"Hahaha, that's great! These lesser lords, knowing they are no match for our magical empire, Eldoron, have all run away."

"This saved us a lot of trouble."

"Take advantage of this opportunity and seize all their territory and fortresses!"

……

With the various minor lords fleeing, the demon legions of the magic empire Eldoron easily conquered their lands.

Many demons who did not evacuate for various reasons were naturally absorbed and subdued, making the demon army of the magic empire Eldoron even stronger.

Today, Eldoron's demon army includes the mid-level legendary fire demon lord Ratu, and 10 other low-level legendary demons, and has brought the vast majority of mid- and low-level demons on this level under his control.

It can be said that the magical empire of Eldoron is now incredibly close to becoming a true demon lord. Only one final step remains before it truly controls the first layer of the abyss…

…………

"This rift is the Great Abyss, and below it are numerous portals leading to different levels of the abyss. In the coming days, we will send out constructs, magical pets, and demons to record the abyss levels that the corresponding portals lead to."

"This dark river is the legendary River Styx. Everyone be careful not to touch the water, or you may lose your memory."

The first layer of the abyss, the [Plains of Ten Thousand Abyss].

Eldoron's team is developing the newly conquered abyssal lands and exploring new ways to utilize resources.

Human researchers watched as the dark River Styx rushed past, directing mindless undead to scoop up a few spoonfuls of water and bring them back to the arcane laboratory for study.

"It's just a pity that the Styx water loses its effectiveness within 24 hours once it leaves the Styx River. Otherwise, it could be used as a powerful weapon!"

"However, if one becomes the Lord of the Abyss, perhaps one can adjust the waterway of the River Styx to some extent?"

El-Erian looked away from the research report in his hand, raised his head, and gazed into the distance.

It was a jagged mountain that towered into the clouds.

This is the last area on this floor not under Eldoron's control.

"Something is definitely not right. The secondary lords didn't even put up a fight before they all withdrew their troops."

"They must be plotting something, right?"

Now, on the map of Eldoron, only one last piece of land remains unconquered—

The rocky hill and surrounding area occupied by Phazuzu.
(End of this chapter)