Despite having existed for less than a year since its founding, New Uruk had already become the center of many of the rumors spreading across the world.
A city so young would normally go unnoticed among the great powers of the continent. However, New Uruk seemed to exist solely to challenge that logic.
Various merchant groups talked about the city and its products.
Adventurers exchanged exaggerated stories about the place in guild halls.
And at the center of all these rumors was the man who ruled that region.
Arthur, the ruler of New Uruk.
The rumors about him were extremely varied.
Some said he was a powerful hero who had come from another world.
Others claimed he was a monstrous tyrant disguised as a savior.
There were even those who insisted he was a political genius capable of manipulating any situation to his advantage.
In the end, the stories about Arthur formed a strange mixture of lies and truth.
Absurd rumors blended with real facts.
Exaggerations mixed with events that, by themselves, were already difficult to believe.
But regardless of whether they were true or not, there was one thing no one dared deny.
Arthur was extremely strong.
And that fact, apparently, was not just a rumor.
His unexpected relationship with the Western Holy Church drew the attention of practically the entire civilized world.
After all, it simply didn't make sense.
How could those who had preached the extermination of monsters for centuries…
Suddenly become allies—or even friends—with a nation inhabited mainly by monsters?
This contradiction intrigued everyone who heard about it.
Even stranger were the stories that began circulating soon afterward.
Stories about a possible romantic relationship between Arthur and Hinata Sakaguchi.
Even though it was clearly false, people still listened to it. The more foolish believed it, and many others spread the story further.
These rumors spread with even greater speed.
Some said the two were rivals.
Others swore they were secret lovers.
There were even those who claimed that this supposed relationship was the true reason behind the unlikely alliance between the Church and New Uruk.
Naturally, no one could confirm anything.
But that had never stopped rumors from spreading.
In any case, information about Arthur and New Uruk had already been officially presented to high-ranking officials in several nations.
Reports circulated among royal courts and military councils.
The attack on New Uruk carried out by the Kingdom of Falmuth immediately attracted the attention of all the great powers.
A war involving a rising nation and a traditional human kingdom would already be enough to spark interest.
But the situation quickly escalated.
The participation of the Holy Empire's army and the Ten Great Saints turned that conflict into something much greater.
The war ceased to be merely a regional confrontation.
It became an event watched by the entire continent.
The eyes of almost the entire continent were fixed on New Uruk.
Everyone waited anxiously for the outcome of that battle.
---
—xXx—
As news of the battle's outcome began to spread…
Chaos spread along with it.
Nations that had initially considered New Uruk nothing more than a curiosity began to completely reassess their opinions.
Among them were the Harpy Queendom of Fulbrosia, the powerful Sorcerer Dynasty of Sarion, the beast kingdom of Eurazania ruled by Carrion, as well as the colossal Eastern Empire, and several other western nations.
All of them drastically changed their perception of Arthur.
Perhaps New Uruk was a new nation.
Perhaps its population was still under one million inhabitants.
But one thing had become clear to everyone.
The inhabitants of that city were absurdly strong.
As time passed—especially after the diplomatic relationship between a monster nation and the Holy Empire of Lubelius was confirmed—Arthur's reputation began to echo across the entire continent.
Some praised him.
Others criticized him.
But there was one thing no one could deny.
Arthur had become a new legend.
---
—xXx—
To the north of the Magic Continent, there existed a place few dared to visit.
The Ice Continent.
A vast and silent land covered in endless fields of permafrost throughout the entire year.
There, snowstorms constantly roared.
Violent blizzards swept across the frozen plains without end.
This phenomenon was caused by the aura of Velzard, the True Dragon of Ice.
Her presence created a kind of natural barrier around the entire continent.
As a result, temperatures there could easily drop below –120 degrees Celsius.
It was such a hostile environment that almost no organic life could survive.
For that reason, the continent was inhabited almost exclusively by Daemons.
Demonic beings who served a single ruler.
The powerful Guy Crimson.
At the heart of that frozen continent stood a magnificent castle.
An imposing structure made entirely of magical ice.
The Ice Castle.
Inside it, seated comfortably upon his throne, was Guy himself.
A man of striking beauty.
His eyes were blood-red, marked by two black stripes just beneath each one.
His long, wavy hair carried a deep crimson shade, resembling living flames, and fell all the way to his waist.
He wore an open dark jacket, revealing his muscular chest.
Around his waist was a red sash wrapped like a cloth belt.
His pants were wide and dark.
At that moment, Guy held a report delivered by one of his maids.
He calmly read the document.
Slowly, his lips curved into an amused smile.
"Someone quite interesting has appeared in the Jura Forest," he said as he closed the report.
Then he stood up.
"Misery, Rain… let's take a trip."
The two demons reacted immediately.
Misery and Rain could not hide their excitement.
"Yes, Master!"
The Ice Castle was comfortable and luxurious.
But staying there for long periods was extremely boring.
Being able to go out for a while was practically a gift.
Guy then slightly turned his head.
"Velzard, are you coming?"
Not far away stood a woman with a serene appearance.
Velzard herself.
She calmly raised her gaze.
"Of course. I'm also interested in this man."
Her voice was calm, yet as cold as the ice that dominated the continent.
"There are rumors that he inherited Veldora's powers. I want to see him with my own eyes."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"I want to see whether he is truly as strong as the rumors claim."
"Is that so?" Guy opened a mischievous smile.
To him, the situation was becoming more and more interesting.
And now he was eagerly awaiting this meeting.
---
—xXx—
Guy's smile slowly widened as he crossed the vast plains of the Magic Continent.
Travel rarely excited him.
In fact, very few things in the world could still make him feel anything close to excitement.
When they finally reached the point where the city came into view…
Guy stopped for a few seconds and simply observed it.
"This city is really only one year old?" he wondered.
The city did not look improvised.
On the contrary, everything seemed planned with an efficiency that was almost absurd for a newly founded nation.
"Hm…"
Guy smiled.
"That only makes me more curious about this Arthur."
They passed through the city gates without any difficulty.
(End of Chapter)