"We've completed the first, Your Majesty! We're already building another one!"
He led Haru to the construction yard where three Astral Cities stood in a row: the original reward from the system, the empire's completed replica, and a third still under construction with only its frame rising.
The finished replica was indistinguishable from the original. Every Angelic Rune on the city walls looked stamped from the same mold.
"We consulted Her Holiness Celestia and several Angels throughout the process." Thrandor said, "Be it their flight speed, spatial traversal or maximum attack and defense capabilities, our version matches the original in every category."
He moved on to the airships, "The technology from the Astral City has let us improve our airships as well. They are now larger, stronger, and faster. Their manufacturing speed has increased several times as well. We currently have 586 of them in reserve, with fifty more being built each day."
Haru nodded. Researching and building Astral City while mass-producing the Dwarven Airships simultaneously, that too nearly six hundred units stockpiled. It was truly impressive.
Thrandor beamed, "Serving Your Majesty is the highest honor for us dwarves!"
Haru flicked a finger and a drop of Divine Power detonated across the workshop. Every craftsman surged with vitality, some bathed in a golden light, promoted on the spot. A rounding error of power for Haru, grace from their God for them. They fell to the ground in praise, and when the fervor finally faded, they worked harder than before.
…
Before departing, Haru handed Thrandor an architectural blueprint. It was for the giant cannon he'd obtained from capturing Tenebris.
"It's called the Abyssal Wrathblaster with a barrel length of tens of thousands of meters. It can even kill peak High Gods."
Thrandor's hands trembled. Not from fear, but from excitement. A weapon that could kill peak High Gods was top-tier even among the Demons' arsenal. This blueprint's research value was immeasurable.
"Study this." Haru said, "Gather every equipment master you need. If it can be imitated, build as many as possible. We'll need them for the planetary wars."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The moment Haru left, Thrandor summoned every senior forgemaster in the workshop and dove into the blueprint.
…
Back at the Imperial Palace, Haru constructed a space-time barrier above the capital. Then he pulled out thousands of Godheads. Extracted every drop of Divine Power, refined it into a pure source of energy, and released it.
The entire Imperial Capital was suddenly drowned in rich Divine Power. The cultivation speed for every being within its borders jumped at least tenfold.
In the whole Endless Continent, probably no one else would do this. Other Gods who obtained Godheads absorbed them personally. Even Goddesses like Elunara, generous as she was, couldn't afford to burn thousands of Godheads on her subjects.
Haru could. And he had a practical reason: the [Scepter of Sovereignty] drew power from the empire's collective might. Weak subjects meant a weaker Scepter. Investing in them meant investing in himself.
He surveyed the capital, wreathed in golden energy, and allowed himself a moment of satisfaction. Then he settled in to comprehend the mysteries of sources of Laws within his own Godhead, but he was stopped. Something was approaching.
"Bold."
Five High Gods radiating evil aura were closing fast on the capital. Before his battle against the allied forces, they might have given him some trouble, but what about now? They were simply walking into a crematorium.
Haru gathered his Supreme God Tier Divine Power to crush them, but suddenly froze. They didn't possess the power of Faith, not a thread of it.
They weren't Gods of Faith. They were Gods of Truth from the local empires, most likely from the distant Dark Empire. Eira, the Ice Queen, should've contacted them as clients for him.
He quickly reigned in his aura, "Almost ruined a deal."
…
The five emerged from a different dimension and waited respectfully, not daring to enter without permission. Every power on the Endless Continent knew what Haru was now. A mortal who'd arrived barely a month ago, now a Supreme God Tier Emperor. For the natives', this was simply unfathomable.
Haru summoned them to the Imperial Palace and when they arrived in the Throne Room, they bowed in unison.
"We are messengers from the Dark Empire. We bring friendly greetings from our Emperor to His Majesty Kazehaya."
"Return my greetings to your Emperor." Haru said.
"Praise you!" They bowed again.
"Tell me your purpose."
The eldest, an old man leaning on a bone staff, stepped forward, "Your Majesty, our empire has learned that you intend to declare war on the Light Empire. May we ask if this is true?"
Haru regarded him, "What if it's true? What if it isn't?"
The old man lowered his gaze, "Forgive my bluntness. If the news is true… our empire wishes to cooperate with Your Majesty. To attack and destroy the Light Empire together."
Haru blinked. He'd expected commerce. A trade deal, maybe a mercenary contract, maybe even a non-aggression pact, but not a military alliance to carve up the Light empire. This was genuinely unexpected.
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