Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

Of course, Ryusha knew this wasn't just Tipalotura's problem; there were far too many messes hidden and buried on this continent.

This peculiar princess and witch is, at best, a troublemaker. She possesses the core secret power of the greatest empire and the cruel power of a witch, meaning whatever she decides will inevitably impact the entire world! But the most crucial factors are the world's inherent chaos and disorder, the various conflicts that have raged in the shadows for millennia, and the awakening of ancient powers…

The Papacy is encroaching upon and expanding within and outside Otus, much like Linor's Bauhinia Kingdom. The Inquisition is also secretly carrying out its plans regarding the witch. As for the Vinos, although it's unknown what Paluru and Weston, who have infiltrated Otus, want from Vitris, or whether their 'ancestral spirit' is similar to that of Chloe, the other barbarian tribes in the north are likely also involved.

But Ryūka understood one thing: she was different from her father, the emperor who had lost his supernatural powers and was only interested in maintaining Ottus's rule through political means. Whatever Tipalotura planned to do, it would only be more meticulous and unstoppable. She might have to stop her, but with the power of the Primordial Witch and the fragments of order, and the identity of an imperial princess, thwarting her was possible, but killing her? Unless she were insane…

Even if I stop her, does the Vatican really know nothing? The fact that Lindsay and Luminova came to Lake Lin from the beginning shows that Tipalotura's plan was being observed with the Vatican's tacit approval, but the internal power structure of the Vatican is probably a mess.

Opening the heretical ruins? A grand expedition to exterminate heretics? Perhaps this is something a segment of the clergy fervently support. But when it involves the bloodline of Kranar and the power struggles within the Holy See, things are likely far more complex…

Ryusha thought of Luminova, who had been taken back by the Holy See, and even set his sights on Linor. Was this fallen princess's escape to the Sochi province truly as she imagined, or was someone deliberately manipulating her to come to his side?

"Lord Lucia?"

Seeing Ryūka staring intently at her, Linor seemed flustered. But Ryūka shook her head; after all, this wasn't something Linor could decide. There was only one thing she needed to do…

That means acceleration, and more acceleration! It's time to get the Sochi province running at full speed, to prepare for anything that might happen in the future. Regardless of what the Papacy and Otus will do, regardless of which story Kania and Tipalotura tell is true, and regardless of what stories gods like Chloe and 'fragments of order' will have a thousand years from now, for Ryukyu, there is only one way out in the face of the unknown…

That means stabilizing and then becoming stronger.

"You lot, accompany Tipalotura to Sochi. I need to go back first to discuss some things with Kania and Anyaberg. Also, Sasha's body is over there; please help me take her back to the Temple of Chloeur..."

Ryūka quickly arranged the affairs around him, making Hetia and the others feel a little nervous. When she heard that he was in a hurry to go back to find Kania and Anyaberg, Hetia, as the deputy commander-in-chief, sensed something from Ryūka's unusual attitude.

She frowned, following behind Liu Xia, watching the young man mount his horse in the military camp, and looked up to ask, "Is the development plan going to be brought forward?"

Hafley, who was only interested in military matters and always skipped over other things in meetings, asked, "Plan? What plan?"

"Haferen, I really should have woken you up when you fell asleep at the meeting last time!"

As Ryuka spoke, he pulled on the reins, and the horse's hooves rose high. The neighing of the warhorse in the setting sun seemed to announce the end of an era.

"The plans for large-scale infrastructure construction, large-scale production, and large-scale development... Now that the army is well-equipped and the people's enthusiasm for labor development has matured, my abilities and authority have also risen to a higher level. It's time to get down to business!"

With that, Ryusha galloped off into the distance, leaving the others far behind. The girls behind her looked at the excited Hetia with puzzled expressions.

If the development of Linhu Territory that year and the rapid prosperity of Sochi in the past six months are not considered important matters, then what exactly is the important matter that Liuxia is talking about?

Volume Twelve

Chapter 1 Commanding the Mountains and Rivers

"Isn't it a bit too early to do this now..."

Ryuka walked along the mountain peak, remaining silent as she listened to Kania's worried words beside her, her eyes filled with solemnity and anticipation.

This is Sanhe Town, the closest town in Linhu Territory to Sochi City. It's a hilly area nearby, with mountains ranging from three to five hundred meters in height. Several valleys in front of it converge here, eventually forming the Sochi River which flows into the Sochi Plain.

Although it's called Sanhe Town, there are actually countless unnamed mountain streams and creeks. Most of the waterways flowing from the high mountains in the east to the west converge here. Normally it's fine, but during the rainy season, floods are an unavoidable problem for Linhu Territory and Sochi.

"It's more accurate to say that this world possesses two extraordinary powers: magic and knighthood. The fact that no one has ever thought of doing something like this is what I find incomprehensible."

Liu Xia breathed a sigh of relief and looked down at his feet. Tens of thousands of people were scattered all over the mountains and fields. The once lush forests had been mostly cut down and left bare, and the nearby villages had long been relocated. At this moment, these people were carrying loads on their shoulders and in their hands, working on the earth like worker ants building a nest.

Of course, the core strength still came from the incredibly strong knights and the mages who could manipulate the natural elements. Ryūsha had almost drawn most of the loyal and reliable soldiers from his army to come here, and in addition, he had conscripted a large number of people from the civilian population. This almost caused Kira, who was in charge of finances, to turn against him again, but fortunately, as long as he tugged on Adela's crotch ring, that money-grubbing woman could always find a way to desperately fill the gap.

“I feel that the construction from Linhu Town to Linhu City was just completed, and now such a large amount of manpower has been mobilized again. Even if the money is sufficient, it will affect their opinion of you…”

Kania muttered to herself, noting that many of the people below had been working tirelessly for a long time. But the new city had barely been established, and before they could even celebrate or spend their money, they were forcibly conscripted by Ryūka to work here for over half a month. She didn't care about these people; she was just worried about affecting Ryūka's abilities.

"That's why we need you. If it weren't for your magical protection that could stabilize people's hearts, things would probably have fallen into chaos long ago. But things will be alright by today..."

As Ryūka walked and talked, it wasn't just Kania following behind. Hetia, Hafren, and Megan also silently followed, looking down at the ant-nest-like scene. These laborers and mages seemed to be filling the gaps between the mountains? But why?

Heflian couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "What are they talking about? Hetia, do you know? By the way, we're all here, but where's Melanie?"

The princess has been in the city for almost half a month, and the opening ceremony of Sochi Academy in September is just around the corner. However, Ryusha has left the princess aside and has been busy in Linhu Territory for half a month, which has left everyone puzzled.

Today, all those responsible for guarding the Sochi province for Liuxia have been summoned here, which makes Haifulian somewhat worried about the city's defenses. After all, she also feels that the princess, especially Gerberi beside her, is not someone to be trifled with.

Megan looked confused as well, while Hetia seemed to know a little more, but she simply said, "Look further ahead, and you'll understand..."

"Look ahead... Oh my god! What is this?!"

As they crested the last ridge, a colossal structure suddenly appeared before them! It was something Heflian had never seen before! A gray-white city wall hundreds of meters high! Stretching for hundreds of meters, from one side of the mountain to the other! Its width was more than twice that of the widest street in Sochi, the Governor's Mansion Street!

Haifulian's eyes widened, and her legs immediately froze on the spot. The towering city walls, comparable to those of the imperial capital, made her mouth utter a curse:

"Holy crap! What the hell is this?! How did it just appear out of nowhere?!"

"It didn't just appear out of thin air; it's a product of the Linhu Territory's development plan. I've been discussing the feasibility of this with Anyaberg since last year, and we started working on it when we took over Sochi City, but we've only recently accelerated the process."

Liu Xia said expressionlessly, "This thing in front of us is the real money-devouring behemoth! Almost all the cement produced in Sochi City over the past six months has been used here. The amount used for the construction of Sochi Academy is less than one-fifth of this; the rest has all been used for road paving." This is also why, more than two months after the completion of Sochi Academy, the cement produced in Sochi has still not flowed into the hands of the public…

Cement is secondary; the most important thing is steel. Ryūsha only ensured that the most basic army had access to new magical weapons; the rest, whether from the mineral resources of Sochi and Linhu or purchased from other regions, were mostly used for this.

"But... but why?" Hefleen still couldn't understand, and her tone even carried a hint of anger.

"What's the point of building such a sturdy city wall in this deep mountain forest?!"

Damn it! If the walls of Sochi were renovated to this extent, they wouldn't need to be hundreds of meters high; the current height of a dozen meters would suffice! And if magical cannons were mounted on the walls, Hefren would absolutely dare to claim that it would become the most impregnable fortress on the entire continent!

These words made Ryūka burst out laughing. He turned to look at Hefren, the female knight whose mind was filled only with war and glory, and smiled:

"Silly girl~ This isn't a city wall, it's a dam!"

"dam?"

Seeing Haifulian's puzzled expression, Liuxia pointed to the building below: "Look, it's curved."

"Bent...?"

"Fine," Ryuka sighed, looking at Hafren's clear, naive eyes. There were some topics that few of the people around her could understand once they left Anyaberg...

The group quickly arrived at the dam, where Anyaberg had been waiting for some time. She wore a construction hat and her eyes were full of excitement. Melanie, whom Haifleen had wondered why she hadn't come with them, was also there, but she wasn't as energetic as Anyaberg. She sat listlessly against the wall on the ground, and instead of her usual ornate and noble wizard's robes, she was wearing a loose set of worker's clothes.

Even her usually treasured staff lay fallen to one side, looking as dull and lifeless as a fire poker. Her short, icy blue hair drooped listlessly, and a towel, used for wiping sweat, lay draped around Melanie's neck, filthy as if it hadn't been washed in a year. In her hand, instead of an elegant wine glass, she held a common, cheap ale, which she listlessly gulped down…

The mighty Ice and Snow Mage was reeking of sweat and alcohol, and even had a towel draped around her neck in an unseemly manner. Even in the hottest summer, Melanie could always remain dry and cool. This made the several female knights with keen senses of smell behind Ryūka pinch their noses. What on earth had happened?!

Melanie naturally saw them pinching their noses, but she didn't care at all, or rather, she didn't even have the energy to be angry. She didn't even have the leisure to spare a sliver of magic to cleanse herself; heaven knows how exhausted she was.

She just looked at Ryūka with her dying eyes:

"You better pray that this thing works as you say, or I'll twist your head off and turn it into a frost specimen in the lab."

Despite being a Celestial Realm expert, Liu Xia was still intimidated by the powerful resentment emanating from her. Meanwhile, Anja Berg, seemingly oblivious to the danger, excitedly rushed towards Liu Xia, despite his own dark circles.

"Don't worry, I've calculated everything. If anything goes wrong, I can just put my head next to Ryūka's! Now it's up to Ryūka to show how he performs!"

"That's good……"

Ryuka nodded. Although Kania didn't know what was so good about it, she didn't want their heads to be put together.

If we're going to put anything together, it has to be her head and Ryūka's head side by side...

"Let's begin."

At Ryūsha's command, horns immediately resounded throughout the valley. The troops and civilians, having completed their final tasks, promptly withdrew from the valley floor.

Meanwhile, Hetia and her female knights also received their respective missions.

Each person was given a K18 enhancement agent, which would allow them to briefly unleash their Heavenly Rank strength. This was something that was only used in times of crisis, and it quickly made the group take it seriously.

"Your mission is simple: destroy a few key mountain sections to create a closed basin in this hilly area. Then, blast open several natural water channels that would otherwise impede water flow, causing all the water to converge here."

Simple...? The female knights couldn't help but twitch their eyes. If they used the K18 potion, their battle aura could indeed destroy mountains, but...

"Aren't you afraid of triggering flash floods?"

"That's what I need to worry about."

"That's what Liuxia said very seriously. Actually, mages are better at modifying terrain than knights, but all the mages, including Melanie, are almost exhausted, so the final work can only be left to a few female knights. They'll act as human demolition machines, completing the final cleanup according to Anyaberg's precise calculations."

This was an undertaking never before undertaken on this continent. Several female knights stood guard at their assigned positions, gazing towards the dam in the distance. The mountains blocked their view, so they could only look to the sky, nervously waiting with K18 potions in their hands.

A dazzling beam of magical light shot into the sky—the beam from a magic cannon. Before the sound could even reach them, several female knights scattered across various locations simultaneously plunged potions into their necks! A powerful amplification surged through their consciousnesses linked to Ryūka, instantly elevating them to a level they themselves couldn't even imagine!

However, this was not for fighting a powerful enemy.

"Drink it all!!!"

A powerful battle aura, carrying the force to destroy everything, crashed into the mountain! The earth shook! The river boiled! A scene resembling the end of the world unfolded simultaneously in three different locations! The three female knights, their veins bulging and eyes bloodshot, dared not hesitate for a moment! They dodged the falling boulders, leaping like birds amidst the roaring torrents, rushing towards the next location in their mission!

After all, each person's enhancement time is only a few minutes. And after they have completed the terrain destruction, they also need to have enough energy to ensure their own safety.

A muffled sound came from afar. Ryuka stood on the dam, his palms sweating. He had absolute confidence in the abilities of his female knights, but he couldn't help feeling a little nervous.

"It's coming..."

The sound of rushing floodwaters could be faintly heard, and it seemed as if a vast army was attacking from the mountains ahead.

Despite meticulous calculations, Ryūka knew this project was somewhat risky. A project that would have taken years to complete in the original world had been compressed to its limits by the power of swords and magic. Although the Sochi province had been preparing and supplying for this for several months, the crucial progress was concentrated in these last two weeks. At this moment, Ryūka had to trust: trust Melanie's team of mage engineers, trust Anjaberg's calculations as chief engineer, trust the materials refined by the magical engineers, and trust all the work done…

And, trust in the power you possess that transcends the common sense of this world.

A golden scepter appeared in his hand, and the boy leaped into the air.

"Spirits of nature dwelling on this earth! Make the mountains bow before me! Make the floods subside with my power! Let a new order be reborn amidst destruction and change!!!"

Buzz—A golden halo spread out in all directions from the center of Ryusha's scepter!

Every inch of land enveloped by this golden light seemed to possess its own will at this moment. Leaping points of light appeared between heaven and earth, some born from the crevices of rocks and cliffs, some residing in the ghosts of plants and trees, and some mixed in with the turbid floodwaters rushing in.

In the distant city of Sochi, the people continued their daily lives, and only those with superhuman strength sensed the unusual fluctuations emanating from afar.

Clang! Clang! Heavy armored footsteps echoed as Gerberi stormed into Sochi Castle. She couldn't find Ryusha, but instead saw the maid Yulina's calm smile.

"Where is the Governor of Ryukyu? He's been out of the city for half a month! In the east... In short! What exactly is he doing behind Princess Tipalotura's back?!"

"Lady Gerberly."

Yulina bowed politely, but showed no fear in her expression, and asked calmly:

"Was it our hospitality that was inadequate? According to the imperial capital's orders, Her Highness the Princess is to attend the opening ceremony of Sochi Academy. Before that, there was no need for Lord Ryukatsu to report to you on her itinerary in detail."

Whoosh! In the next instant, the female knight in golden armor appeared in front of Yulina, grabbed her by the neck, and lifted the rude maid up.

"Half of the army in Sochi province has vanished, as have his mistresses. There are also numerous other personnel movements, and your output is unclear. Tell me, what happened in the east? Is it related to His Highness's plans?"

Despite being choked and in excruciating pain, Yulina's smile remained unchanged as she looked fearlessly into Gerberi's eyes.

"I'm sorry... I don't know what you're talking about... Her Highness is only here on the pretext of an inspection and visit... not... to be the host..."

"Heh, even a maid has this much guts, that kid really has a lot of talented people around him..."

Gerberi smiled coldly as the spikes on her gauntlets slowly dug into Yulina's throat. A trickle of blood flowed from her delicate neck, but Yulina showed no fear whatsoever.

Thud! The golden gauntlet came loose, causing Yurina to fall heavily to the ground, clutching her bruised and bleeding neck and coughing painfully.

"Since you won't tell me, then I'll go see for myself. Although His Highness turns a blind eye to your schemes, I won't tolerate any underhanded dealings around him!"

In Gerberi's view, there would be no Sochi as it is today without Tipalotura, so everything here should revolve around the princess. But whether it was that somewhat strange banquet or the princess being left out of the city by Ryukyu for half a month after entering the city, both of these violated Gerberi's understanding of the proper hierarchy between master and subject.

With a slight bend of her strong thighs, she exerted force, and her golden combat boots shattered the stone slabs in front of the castle! She flew towards the outside of the city like a golden streak of light!

With the power of the Heavenly Rank, he leaped from the castle in the center of Sochi to the city gate in an instant!

-----------------

At this moment, another celestial being on this land is soaring through the air, hovering high in the sky, commanding the mountains and rivers beneath its feet!

Being a dual-ranked knight and mage, possessing the power of fragments of order, was nothing special to Ryuu. However, a chorus of praise emanated from below him.

"Is Ryūka no longer planning to hide his strength?"

Seeing Kania staring intently at Ryūka, Melanie, sitting on the ground, said calmly:

"Perhaps His Highness Tipalotura's visit this time has taught him something. Both the project we are working on and the radiance he exudes now are different from his usual style."

Whether it was from Linhu to Sochi, Ryūka had always tried his best to minimize the impact on the world. While the developments in magical weapons and Sochi were astonishing, they weren't unacceptable. He was also accustomed to concealing his strength in public, avoiding drawing too much attention.

But things are different now.

A road is just a road, and a workshop is just a workshop. Even the magnificent Sochi Academy is still just a building. But the creation beneath their feet is something that has never existed in this world before, and the golden light emanating from that boy has long surpassed the common people's understanding of knights and mages.

Melanie looked up at the laborers and soldiers watching from their vantage points high in the mountains. They all wore expressions of disbelief. They watched as Ryusha, usually so close to them, now stood like a god high above, controlling the changes and course of the mountains and rivers with incredible power, solemn as a statue.

Some people have even started kneeling and praying...

Melanie sighed. The dam beneath her feet couldn't be hidden, and neither could the miracle Ryūka was now displaying. After all, tens of thousands of people were watching, and sooner or later, news would spread throughout the world. But the thought that something must be pushing Ryūka behind the scenes, forcing him to do this immediately, made Melanie realize that this was just the beginning.

She looked at Ryūka, and the raging floodwaters, like docile pets, slowed down along the valley bends guided by his golden scepter. The collapsed rocks and the repaired spots remained firmly in place, almost defying the laws of physics. The boy who had once conversed with her at the ice table had grown incredibly tall…

tsk...

"Kanya, I need to talk to you about something."