Defiance of the Fall

It had been years since Zac met Rhubat in person. Decades, if Zac included his time in the Temporal Chambers. Zac had been busy with his cultivation, while Rhubat had immediately rushed back to the hives after returning with Ogras. They'd been so eager to discuss their recent findings with the other Anointed that Zac only managed to exchange brief messages before he set off to the Perennial Vastness. A meeting was long overdue.

"Warmaster, you asked for me?" Rhubat said.

"I did," Zac said as he sat down. "It looks like the Zhix welcomed my shake-up."

"I'm sorry to have used you for my purposes," Rhubat said with a small bow. "The Dominators had a greater impact on our society than we realized. Ten years of peace among all hives is unprecedented, and many have felt lost without something to train our spears at. I once hoped Zhix would never have to enter another crusade, yet it became our path to salvation."

"It's fine," Zac said. "If anything, I'm hoping your mentality will influence the rest of my people. Unfortunately, that's difficult when the Zhix warriors are almost solely concentrated to the second and seventh battalions."

"That's why you wanted to see me," Rhubat slowly said. "You wish to split up our forces."

"It's part of it," Zac said. "The Zhix are performing beyond reproach, but I'll be blunt. Your people forming an autonomous enclave within my empire is a problem waiting to happen. We won't always be around, and I fear leaving things unsettled will lead to a conflict that neither side wants. What if the third crusade is the one against the Atwood Empire?"

War was a time when heroes rose to prominence, and Zac's instincts told him to nip this problem in the bud. Rhubat was like a shining sun to the hives. The Anointed before him might become the unwilling figurehead of an uprising if the Hives decided they shouldn't have to take orders from Port Atwood any longer.

That was doubly true considering what he'd brought back from the Perennial Vastness.

"I understand," Rhubat sighed. "Yet another reminder we're holding onto a life from a bygone era."

"I know the Zhix have a troublesome past with the Dominators, but you should also understand I'm not some tyrant interested in forcing my beliefs onto your race or interfering with your lives. I'm not asking the Zhix to relinquish their connection to their hives. I just want them to recognize they're part of a bigger picture, and I hope you'll use this reorganization to better integrate your people. The hives will follow as long as the Anointed and respected warriors lead the way."

Rhubat peered into Zac's eyes for a few seconds. "I thought I'd get closer to you after breaking through, but I feel there's a towering mountain before me. Strength is truth, and I will work harder on integrating our kin. However, the Zhix are no one's slaves. We follow you, but as you say, we will not always be around. Whoever picks up your mantle must prove their capability and sincerity to the hives."

Zac thought it over for a few seconds before nodding in agreement. "I agree. Sincerity is a two-way street. On that note, I have something for you. It might help you deal with some of your kin's issues."

The five insectoid species he'd approached inside the Perennial Vastness had outright refused to shed any light on their cultivation system. And it was clear insectoids generally shared the Zhix's xenophobia, to the point they shunned the Primal Council and any other group of beastkin. However, it wasn't difficult to gather some general information on insectoid societies and various species of insect beasts.

Two of the insectoids had also decided to target him after his inquiries, which left Zac with a few communal cultivation manuals and unique resources. The insectoids hadn't even cared about sealing their techniques since they were custom-made for their species. Still, they should be useful as a reference for the Zhix. It was clear that cultivation was very possible even for societies such as the Zhix. There were a few terrifying forces out there, and the A-grade insectoid empires were some of the most feared factions in the Multiverse.

For one, their members were fiercely loyal, with the whole population willing to fight to the death for the hive. Secondly, at least half of all insectoid species had unique Kings or Queens at the top, or a ruling caste like the Anointed. The solitary leaders, especially, were powerful even among Supremacies, bolstered by unprecedented amounts of faith energy.

This was what Zac feared the Zhix would adopt, considering such a cultivation system was bound to cause trouble for Earth. How could the object of the Zhix's faith be subordinate to the Atwood Empire?

"Faith," Rhubat muttered after scanning the information for a few minutes. "I see now."

"It seems to be the most common path," Zac said. "With the communal nature of insectoid species, the standard path of cultivation doesn't really work. Only those born with an individualistic mindset, like Ibtep, follow the conventional route. The rest cultivate through faith."

"And the stronger the source of faith, the stronger the population," Rhubat concluded, but there was a frown on their face. "I see why you're worried, Warchief, but you need not be. This is the path of the Dominators. I cannot accept the Zhix consecrating me or any other leader as a god. I would only replace the chains of old with new ones."

"The Dao of Faith is one of the Seventeen Dao Peaks, and it's not limited to the consecration of a leader. It's just that this method has proven most effective for many similar species," Zac offered. "You can have faith in things, concepts, or even your ancestors. Of course, these routes have different challenges that need to be overcome. And not all insectoids rely on faith; there's more on that topic in the missives."

Rhubat took a breath before standing up, bowing deeply at Zac. "Warchief, thank you for this. I cannot speak for the future, but the Zhix will not betray your trust while I am around. You have given me much to think about."

"Just one more thing," Zac said. "Do you or Ibtep need any assistance with your Campaign mission?"

"Mine will be finished soon enough. I simply need to kill five more D-grade battalion commanders in singular battle," Rhubat said before their face turned odd. "As for Ibtep… They might need some assistance."

The Anointed left a few minutes later, at which point Zac's face matched Rhubat's. He'd already heard Ibtep was the second Zhix to reach Hegemony, but Zac hadn't known the class they'd picked was called Grub Knight. It was a weird half-martial pet class that differed from Verana's Beast Tamer archetype.

Instead of having multiple pets fighting for you, Ibtep formed temporary connections with their grubs, connections which were only active when he rode them. In return, mount and knight would strengthen each other, forming a stronger whole. The problem was that Ibtep's interest leaned toward raising tasty treats or worms that could be used as workers. Until now, he hadn't raised a single beast bred for war.

That on its own wasn't a problem, but Ibtep's quest needed their mounts to accrue a combined 15,000 merit, a difficult task for worms whose only strong feature was their taste. Rhubat had encouraged Ibtep to raise deadlier critters, but the result wasn't great.

Ibtep tried their best, even enlisting the Tal-Eladar's help, but the years of selective breeding the Zhix had done so far were useless. Ibtep had intentionally bred out any aggression and other features that were a hindrance for workers but useful for fighters. With time and resources limited, Rhubat feared Ibtep wouldn't figure out a solution to their mission in time.

Zac could hopefully expedite things by providing resources and acquiring powerful worms off-world. At the same time, Zac wasn't sure it was the right move. The inheritance was based on fate, and Ibtep had never been a fighter. Pushing him down the martial path might not be the correct solution to dealing with this matter. He'd have to have a talk with the worm rancher to figure out a plan when he had time.

He spent another hour catching up with the core members of his faction, handing out unique treasures he'd picked up along the way while exploring the Perennial Vastness. It quickly became apparent that Vilari was right. There were only a few local Hegemons for now, but more than ten people were approaching the point where they could attempt their breakthrough.

However, one person hadn't seen as much improvement as the others. Zac inwardly sighed as he saw Sap Trang step into the room, his eyes darting around like a child called into the principal's office. If Zac had felt the winds of fate pushing the Zhix forward, it was almost the opposite with the old fisherman in front of him.

Zac couldn't feel a hint of fate on Sap and felt the odds of the man reaching Peak E-grade slim even if provided the necessary resources. Sap also hadn't been present at the meeting, even if he was qualified, no matter if you considered his status as a founding member of the empire or an Admiral of the Atwood Navy.

"I'm sorry," Sap eventually said as he sat down. "I abused my status—"

"It's fine," Zac said. "You could say you were my first human follower, and you were instrumental in the formation of the Atwood Empire. I won't pressure you if you don't wish to register for the war. Besides, your job has never been more important, and no one is better suited."

"It's mostly Little Bau," Sap said with a crooked smile.

"Still," Zac said. "The number of Aquatic Beast Kings far surpasses those on land, and we must maintain order while so many of our warriors are off-world."

Most worlds had vast swathes claimed by Beasts, turning into Danger Zones for cultivators. Earth wasn't any different. One of the reasons was that it was too costly and dangerous to clear them out. Cleansing the oceans was almost impossible, whether you considered its size or the fact that the beasts outnumbered humans by hundreds to one.

Keeping wild regions was also intentional. It gave the factions somewhere to temper their warriors without waging wars against their neighbors. The best resources also only grew in the wild, often with beast guardians creating a symbiotic relationship with the treasures. So you settled by creating a perimeter, and the Beast Kings were usually smart enough to honor the borders in times of peace.

But if they stepped out of line, people like Sap Trang and his Kraken needed to be there to push them back before they invaded cities or underwater resources. If not for the hard work of the Atwood Navy, the archipelago would have already become an unlivable Danger Zone considering how energy-dense the region was.

"Well, I'll do my best as long as possible."

"What's going on?" Zac asked with a frown as he sensed the hidden meaning in Sap's words. "Are you okay?"

"It's hard to explain," Sap Trang sighed. "I might be a child in the eyes of the powerful beings out there, but I'm old. My joints don't ache like they used to, but there is a weariness I didn't feel during those first months of the Integration. Perhaps it's because I relaxed after finding my grandson safe and sound. Perhaps it's because I received the gift of Cosmic Energy too late in life. Either case, the feeling only grew stronger after I avoided the Incursion. Now, I can tell I've reached the end."

"You're not—"

"I'm not ready to enter the cycle of reincarnation just yet," Sap Trang smiled. "But I fear I won't be able to keep up with Little Bau much longer, and I don't want to become an anchor holding him back. I'm thinking about passing on the link to my great-grandson in the future. Liem's only eight, but his affinity with water is far greater than mine or his father's. And Bau already sees him as family."

"I understand," Zac sighed. "Let me know if there's anything you need."

The old fisherman left soon after to resume his vigil. Meeting Sap dampened Zac's mood, and he didn't stay much longer. The news of the army shake-up had already spread by the time he emerged from the government building, and Zac heard quite a few pedestrians discuss the matter as he walked to the closest teleporter.

Emily's analysis was already proving accurate; the response was quite positive. He even heard a few cultivators mentioning they would apply for a transfer, though their auras clearly indicated there was no way they'd get accepted. Of course, this was the capital, which was mostly populated by the strong. The sentiment was likely different on the mainland.

Zac soon returned to his cave, where he spent the next day in seclusion, working tirelessly to prepare for the Abyssal Pond and the war. The only times he moved from his prayer mat was to occasionally check in on Alea, even though her situation seemed to have completely stabilized. The large crystal still looked like it wanted to swallow all light as it siphoned off the Death in the cave.

Finally, Zac got the message he'd been waiting for; Zakarith had finished the first round of negotiations. She had accomplished her job splendidly and sent back a list of preliminary terms for Zac's approval. The exact details would take longer to iron out, but the abridged terms indicated things would go the way he'd hoped.

The Albright Empire was clearly worried about him turning to the highest bidder now that the old agreement was reaching term. It wasn't just about the portability either. It was their most valuable feature, but they also added a lot of value on the frontlines. The Creators' advanced weapon systems had proven surprisingly effective, considering they had already destroyed hundreds of enemy vessels before the real war even started.

As such, the Allbright Empire was desperate to expand its fleet before the Kan'Tanu's main army reached its defensive perimeter. They had been more than willing to accept Zac's terms, though that was partly because he'd held back quite a bit. Apart from increasing the purchase price by 60%, the agreement mostly mirrored the benefits he'd gotten from the Undead Empire.

The first was exclusive access to three ventures; a smithy, a Formation Guild specializing in wartime arrays, and an alchemist clan. These three covered all the needs of his armies. If he later managed to free Boje, he could use that connection to get special items for his elite battalions. However, he truthfully wasn't confident he'd win in his duel with Kator. He'd heard some shocking rumors from his attendants in Kavista, and they hadn't decided on what kind of handicap he'd get.

Since he couldn't rely on connecting with the Zethaya Clan, Zac had opted to add an alchemist to his demands. He could probably have pushed for even more, but the thought of extorting the faction standing at the forefront of this conflict left a bad taste in Zac's mouth. There was also some truth to what Toss and the others said about fate. Even if you ignored the Left Imperial Palace, there were direct implications for his faction.

What if he went too far with his spending, and the System upgraded its rating of his forces? It might mean his E-grade battlefronts suddenly found themselves pitted against armies of Hegemons. There was no way good equipment was enough to make up for a difference in grade when it came to common soldiers, and the losses would be catastrophic.

Besides, he needed the Allbright Empire just like they needed him, even if they didn't know it. Selling ships to the Allbright Dynasty was the best way to ensure his ships saw combat, letting him progress his shipyard quest quicker.

Still, Zac had used the situation to get a few benefits for himself. He reviewed the attached list of rare materials and sent a response, and he didn't need to wait more than an hour before two Valkyries dropped off a couple of boxes in his compound. A hungry roar echoed in Zac's mind when he picked them up, confirming his choice was correct. Verun absolutely wanted the items sealed inside.

Not all of them contained treasures, though. One held a rare formation similar to a Core Formation Array but aimed at beastcrafted Spirit Tools. Better yet, its patterns indicated it came from the System itself, perhaps from a quest reward like how Zac got the [Divine Investiture Array]. The original owner had probably opted to sell or trade the thing to the Allbright Dynasty rather than using it themselves.

Zac hadn't expected the Allbright Clan to have such a good thing, or that they had voluntarily offered it as a greeting gift before the negotiations even started. It saved Zac a trip to the Big Axe Coliseum, which had similar facilities and skilled blacksmiths.

"Are you ready, buddy?" Zac smiled as his old companion appeared in his hand, and an exhilarated howl answered when he dragged his finger across the mottled surface of its edge.

Zac was full of excitement as he walked toward the teleporter. In less than a day, he would get to see the evolved form of his two companions.