A Journey That Changed The World.

Chapter 952: These Are Manaheart Crystals



Following breakfast, Archer said goodbye to the women before leading Ashoka outside while the Imperial Knights brought him a carriage. The tiger woman was confused when she saw it and decided to ask, "Why not fly?"

"Those who soar amongst the clouds lose sight of the life below," Archer replied while stepping into the carriage after telling the knights where they were going.

"That is wise; my people would love a ruler like you," Ashoka said with a voice laced with anger while joining him. "My father is a tyrant who taxes them until they are starving and have to eat grass to survive."

"I will rule over your people; you will be my Queen that rules the Ganesha Province and will only answer to me even if you're in the harem," Archer revealed, which caused Ashoka to tense.

As the carriage started moving, the tiger woman shook her head and asked, "What do I gain by giving up my realm to become a province of the Draconian Empire?"

"Anyone who bends the knee will receive the full backing of the Draconian government and its vast resources," he replied. "We will ensure your people no longer suffer from hunger by providing substantial aid, and we will rebuild your villages, towns, and cities."

Archer wanted to offer support, but he also needed to highlight the advantages of aligning with him. "Every Ganeshian will have the opportunity to benefit from being part of the empire, with numerous initiatives aimed at uplifting your people," he continued.

"At what cost?" the tiger woman asked.

"Become my woman and rule your homeland as a province under the Draconian Banner," Archer revealed with a smirk.

"Will you let me think about it? That is a big commitment," Ashoka answered with a nervous smile.

Archer nodded, "No problem. Take your time, as it's a life-changing decision, but know that Thrylos is changing, and Draconia is the future of this world," he revealed before turning to the window.

Following that, he watched the landscape pass by while they headed to Stormwatch Port to shop at one of the mining platforms. Archer saw many farms with happy farmers toiling in the fields.

They got rid of the snow using Draconia Runes that the legions set up to protect the fields, which pleased him. While admiring his kingdom, Ashoka finally asked, "What is your goal of setting up an empire?"

"To unite the world against the true enemy yet to reveal themselves," Archer instantly answered. ''I will build an empire that uplifts the common people so they will flourish and want to fight back when the world is threatened."

Ashoka was shocked as her brown eyes widened, causing her to speak nervously, "How do you know this?"

He sighed before revealing the truth, "For many years, I've been getting hundreds of visions showing me multiple futures. One stood out: the showdown between my empire and the unknown enemy."

Archer recalled many of the dreams and visions he had received since coming here four years ago. He shook his head to continue, "The monsters that the enemy use as foot soldiers come straight from a nightmare, and the weapons they use are devastating."

"How can we stand a chance against such a foe?" Ashoka inquired as she sat next to him.

"I will build an army so powerful that they can decimate the enemy; that's why I'm investing so much into the Ironfoot Family. If I marry them and secure their brilliant minds, the world will stand a chance against the coming darkness," Archer revealed one of his plans that he kept to himself.

After speaking, Archer concluded, "Let me show what we're facing," he said while placing a finger on the woman's forehead.

***

[Ashoka's Vision POV]

When Archer touched her, she was transported to a vast grassland, which she recognized as the Verdantia Plains. Ashoka glanced around and saw the massive Draconian army assembled, ready for battle.

Her gaze fell upon an older Archer, hovering above the soldiers as he delivered a rousing speech that stirred the billions of men and women prepared to fight. Just as Ashoka drew nearer, a terrifying roar echoed across the battlefield.

The older tiger woman whirled around to confront the source of the roar and saw a nightmarish monster charging toward the army. In response, Archer transformed into a colossal dragon and engaged the formidable foe in a fierce battle.

Archer drew the monster away from the army, ensuring the colossal battle wouldn't disrupt the troops. As the titan and dragon clash raged on, several women emerged from the ranks, catching Ashoka's eye as they moved purposefully.

An orange-haired woman, an older Maeve clad in stunning armor, veered to the right while the others split up and dispersed along the line of Draconian soldiers. That's when a silver- haired woman dressed in the same armor shot an arrow in the air as the enemy charged.

Ashoka watched in awe as a barrage of missiles and hundreds of thousands of mana shells rained down upon the enemy, making the ground tremble with their impact. Amid the chaos, a woman with light red hair raised her voice above the din, shouting, "Prepare the shield wall! Death is upon us, but you know why we fight!"

The soldiers moved swiftly, stepping forward to interlock their shields. Soon, a gleaming white wall formed, reflecting the light from the relentless stream of missiles and shells streaking across the battlefield.

Following that, the vision ended, and she was now looking at Archer with a smile as she made up her mind there and then.

***

[Back to Archer]

Archer watched Ashoka's eyes light up with enthusiasm as she suddenly exclaimed, "The Ganeshians could become the perfect foot soldiers if led by a seasoned general and given a clear objective. They will achieve it, even at the cost of their own lives."

He watched the older woman stand up before kneeling as she exclaimed, "I will become yours and rule the Ganesha Province. My people will want to fight when they realize how different you are as a king."

'What a change! Maybe I should show more people about the future battle?' Archer mused

with a smile.

Following that, Archer pulled Ashoka into his lap and kissed her. Initially stiff, she quickly melted into the embrace and reciprocated the kiss. Their passionate connection marked the beginning of their relationship.

Once they separated, the two of them sat in silence. Archer admired the landscape outside while Ashoka thought about the vision she saw. A short while later, they arrived at Stormwatch Port and boarded a Destroyer that took them to the closest mining platform.

Soon, the ship was underway, sailing out of Dragon's Cove Bay and onto the chaotic open ocean. Waves hit the deck as Archer, Ashoka, and the sailors stayed inside the ship so they wouldn't be swept overboard.

It took them a couple of hours to reach a mining platform that the Destroyed docked next to, allowing the couple off. Archer told the captain to wait for him, and the man reassured him that he would while waiting for the weather to calm down.

Archer and Ashoka were met by the mining platform manager, who appeared to be a middle- aged man. He bowed toward the duo before speaking, "What can I do for you, your Majesty?" "I've come to inspect the platforms and see how they're operating," he replied to the man.

After that, the manager showed them around the worker's quarters, and Archer was happy as they seemed comfortable. Next was the dining hall, and a delicious smell hit his nose when

they got closer.

This went on for twenty minutes, and Archer was pleased with everything before the manager took them to the elevator that led down to the seafloor where hundreds of workers was

mining all kinds of resources.

When the couple stepped off the elevator, they noticed the guards were stationed everywhere and were happy with their upgraded armor. The manager followed them to the Manaheart

Crystal vein they found.

Archer and Ashoka walked across the wooden walkway the workers put down alongside the mining tracks. When they arrived at the cave entrance, it was guarded by the Wyldheart company guards that Ella hired from the population.

They had to take a mana oath about not betraying the kingdom or company, just like the

workers did, which stopped the thoughts of stealing anything. Archer shook his head and entered the cave, followed by the tiger woman.

"What is this material used for? It's beautiful," Ashoka inquired, her gaze lingering on the translucent man surrounded by heart-shaped crystals on the wall.

Sensing the crystals' deep veins—an indication of their immense power potential-Archer felt a surge of excitement. This could fuel the kingdom and its infrastructure. Turning to Ashoka, he explained, "These are Manaheart Crystals. They power everything from airships and homes to trains, along with countless innovations emerging weekly."Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The tiger woman nodded, intrigued, as the couple stepped aside to let a group of workers pass. The workers bowed respectfully upon seeing Archer and Ashoka. As they entered the cave, the stunning lighting bathed the space in a mesmerizing glow, causing Ashoka to smile

in delight.

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