Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The buildings lining the sides of the street were built in the Sumerian style, beautiful and elegant. Most of them were five or six stories tall. People rode up and down on escalators. People were already used to the customs of this new era. If someone wore a cape, they were probably priests, supernatural beings, or from royal families.
The shops used signs with garish looking metal edges. People in the city held ceremonies and lots of houses hung colorful flags. Many airships flew in the sky which made it all the more eye-catching. Airships became smaller than before. Battle airships that only carried one person became the standard of the Sumerian Kingdom.
The canal built by the last emperor of the Crete Empire, Zolman II, surrounded Niyah. Several alchemy battleships were now moored on the river. The iron battleships were reflecting the light under the sun. There were three levels of alchemy barbettes, and there were many flexible gun muzzles. There had been some clashes between the Sumerian Empire and the Ahenaten Empire lately.
“Magic crystal?” Lu Zhiyu walked into an alchemy shop in Niyah and picked up a half-transparent diamond crystal. He looked at it carefully, and he immediately discovered the mysteries behind it.
“These were only Philosopher’s Stones used to get to level four, but I can’t believe there are so many derivatives! Stones of Dreams, the Dream Wizard system, witchcraft boundary master systems, the ghost wizard system, and the magic crystal system.”
Lu Zhiyu looked through the diamond. He saw an enormous city of alchemy with airships, steam engine machines, and alchemy battleships. He also saw gigantic magic crystal towers and the magic crystal alchemy tools owned by every family.
“The steam engine machine alchemy era was the era of supernatural beings. Now, the era of magic crystal machines belongs to everyone.”
“Hey! If you can’t afford it, then don’t touch it!” The overweight boss of the alchemy shop yelled at Lu Zhiyu in anger.
“Oh!” Lu Zhiyu had always taken what he wanted. He hadn’t needed money in a long time. He just realized he had touched these objects without permission, which led to many discussions among the people around him.
This wasn’t the first time Lu Zhiyu had walked into Niyah. The last time when he was here, it was during the era of the Crete Empire, which was called the Iron Dynasty. Back then, the entire central province was unified, and the entire Sumerian Plain was the most prosperous area of the Crete Empire.
However, the prosperous Niyah of the past was completely different from how it was now. Lu Zhiyu hadn’t expected that Maria’s World would enter an era like this. It didn’t enter an era of electricity, instead, it advanced further and further on the path of steam engines using the supernatural system.
Be-beep! Be-beep!
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The more he walked, the more crowded the streets became. Small steam engine cars made rumbling sounds on the street, and the drivers of the public steam engine cars rang their bells. There were oil paintings on the cars which looked fabulous with their industrial style.
Dong Dong Dong! Dong Dong Dong!
Wu Wu Wu!
A large group of soldiers and honor guards walked across the streets. There was a military parade on the square. At the same time, the Sumerian Freedom Association’s important weapon, the first Sky Fortress on the Alen Continent ascended into the sky.
“Long live Sumerian!”
“Long live our freedom!”
The soldiers carried their rifles, marching in step. Drum and trumpet sounds were carried uphill along the streets, together with the sound of crowds cheering. Many steam engine cars on the roads stopped. Girls were waving at the soldiers from the cars.
Lu Zhiyu followed the soldiers. He saw an enormous iron alchemy fortress. It had three levels and iron wings that could expand, contract, and move. It looked like a ferocious beast, a giant whale with wings.
It was a gigantic fortress created by wizard towers, alchemy, and steam engine techniques. Many airships and spaceships were parked on the square at the top of the fortress, which could carry lots of soldiers into battle. There were many barbettes on the fortress. At the same time, Lu Zhiyu observed the bottom of the fortress, which had the newly made annihilation element guns created by alchemy warlocks. It was the most advanced machine ever invented for war.
Originally, even level five and level six supernatural beings weren’t able to operate a giant sky fortress like this. But after the magic crystal system was created, it was possible to use magic to power such a sky fortress so that it could fly. Many ordinary people had participated in building this gigantic alchemy object. It took them a year to design it and several more years to finish building the fortress.
“Wow! Can this thing actually fly?”
“This is an alchemy fortress built by the great Lord Alva. It doesn’t have any problems. As long as it can get into the sky, that mercenary kingdom will soon be at our mercy.”
Following a fierce rumbling sound, the giant sky fortress flew into the sky, driven by mana and magically-reinforced steam engine machines. It was protected by a witchcraft dome.
From inside Niyah came the thunderous sound of cheers. Everyone, both on the streets or in their homes, looked up at the sky. They saw that the gigantic sky fortress had activated, and watched it fly through the clouds, ascending.
“Long live Alva!”
“Long live the sky fortress!”
“Sumerian is invincible!”
Lu Zhiyu entered the sky fortress in a cluster of light. Many soldiers were operating this giant war machine. They were running back and forth, reporting on everything that happened.
Inside the control room of the sky fortress, three people were checking the blueprints, looking at the clouds outside and the rainbow-colored light. The scene in the clouds was spectacular, like heaven.
“We’ve done it. With this sky fortress, we can definitely defeat Ahenaten. As long as we defeat Ahenaten, we can absorb into our Sumerian Freedom Association, after which we can overcome national borders, get across Andromeda Mountain, and reach the ocean.” Frank said excitedly, looking at the map on the table. The Sumerian Kingdom and the Ahenaten Kingdom had been warring against each other for many years. Even before the Sumerian Kingdom was officially formed, the two had been fighting each other.
“It is certain that the Ahenaten Kingdom is a kingdom where no gods declare sovereignty. It’s very important for us to develop and advance the era of magic crystals.” Alva also considered another factor. The fights for victory and lands always involved the gods. They didn’t have the power to anger the gods yet.
“With the power of these two countries, and the help of oceans and trades, the magic crystal system will soon cover the entire Alen Continent, Yala Continent, Swirl Continent, Hailuga Kingdom, and even the entire world.” Wilbert slapped the table and envisioned their future.
“And then, we can use the power of our magic system and the great power of beliefs to become gods, in the next several years. As long as we can become gods, the magic system will be stabilized.”
Lu Zhiyu took the map from their table, looking at the Ahenaten Kingdom they were planning to conquer. There were also lots of red arrows on the map. They were considering their magic crystal system and how to promote it to the entire world.
“Sounds like a good plan, but it seems that what you’re doing has already angered some gods, both your magic crystal system and the names of gods you want to ascend to. It’s not that easy of a dream to accomplish.”
Lu Zhiyu looked at the three. It had been hundreds of years since he first met them. Although their appearances had changed a little, they still felt familiar to Lu Zhiyu in every way.
“Bohr, Akkad, Uruk, we met again!”
The three were startled by Lu Zhiyu who had appeared out of nowhere. There had been no sign that a person had come in.
“Who are you?” All three of them were confused. They knew neither his name nor what he was. However, they could smell the scent of god on his body. He was a true god.
This was the first god they ever met.