Dragon Monarch System Chapter 1229:- Old Emperor Steps up [II]

Meanwhile, inside the Anti-Emperor Faction’s military camp, preparations for the upcoming battle were already underway. Thousands of tents had been erected across the vast grasslands, accommodating soldiers, military officers, and cultivators who had arrived from different territories of the Celestial Dragon Empire.

At the center of the camp stood an enormous tent that served as the temporary headquarters of the Anti-Emperor Faction. Inside, nearly all the most powerful and influential figures supporting Aditya had gathered. Among them were several Dukes, high-ranking military commanders, and powerful cultivators who would play important roles in the upcoming war.

However, one important person was missing. And that person was the Supreme Commander, Aditya himself.

Naturally, his absence had raised questions among those present. After all, Aditya was the Supreme Commander of the Anti-Emperor Faction, and with the war about to begin, everyone had expected him to personally oversee the final preparations.

Noticing the questioning looks directed toward him, Boris, who was temporarily presiding over the meeting, smiled and decided to address the matter.

"There’s no need for everyone to worry. Aditya had something important come up, so he won’t be joining us immediately." Boris explained in a relaxed tone.

"As you all know, Aditya recently broke through to Beginner Sixth Order. He needs another hour or two to properly stabilize his cultivation before coming to the battlefield. Until then, I will be taking charge of everything here." The reason Boris himself was fighting in this war was because, he did not view it as a conflict between his two grandsons. He saw it as a necessary fight to save the entire Celestial Dragon Empire.

Hearing this, everyone nodded in understanding. Although Aditya’s absence was somewhat unexpected, nobody had any objections to Boris temporarily assuming command.

After all, Boris was not an ordinary cultivator or noble. He was the former Emperor of the Celestial Dragon Empire, the man who had ruled the Empire for more than twenty thousand years before passing the throne to his son, Alen. During his reign, Boris had accumulated an extraordinary amount of experience in governing the Empire, commanding armies, and dealing with powerful enemies.

Even among the Dukes and high-ranking commanders present, very few could claim to possess even a fraction of his experience. Therefore, when Boris announced that he would temporarily assume command, nobody dared to question his qualifications.

In fact, if someone as experienced as Boris was considered unworthy of commanding the Anti-Emperor Faction’s army, then there was hardly anyone else present who could claim to be more qualified.

After briefly looking around the tent, Boris’s gaze eventually settled on Wahid. "Wahid, I want you to return to Axel City for now and take charge of its defenses."

Hearing this unexpected instruction, Wahid was visibly surprised. He had come to the Northern Grassy Plains with the intention of participating in the civil war alongside the others. He had already prepared himself for the upcoming battles, so being told to return to Axel City before the fighting had even begun was not something he had anticipated.

"Your Majesty, you want me to return to Axel City?" Wahid asked, wanting to make sure he had heard correctly.

Boris nodded. "That’s right. I need you to remain there and protect the city while the rest of us focus on the war."

Seeing that Wahid was about to say something, Boris continued before he could respond.

"Think about the current situation. Almost every important and powerful figure associated with Axel City has come here to participate in this war. With so many of our strongest cultivators gathered at the Northern Grassy Plains, Axel City’s defenses have naturally become weaker."

Boris’s expression gradually became more serious. "We cannot afford to leave such an important city without someone capable of protecting it. At the very least, Axel City needs a powerful Sixth Order cultivator who can take charge of its defenses and respond to any unexpected threats."

Wahid remained silent as he listened. "We don’t know what might happen while we’re fighting here. A magic animal outbreak could occur near the city, or Ren might decide to send a separate force to attack it while our attention is focused on the battlefield."

Boris paused briefly before adding, "And we must not forget about the mysterious organisation working with Ren. We have already seen what its members are capable of. There’s no guarantee that they won’t attempt to infiltrate Axel City again and cause destruction while most of our powerful cultivators are away."

These possibilities were not something Boris was willing to ignore. Even if the chances of such incidents occurring were relatively low, the consequences could be disastrous if Axel City was left without adequate protection.

"That’s why I want you to stay there. With your current strength and abilities, you’re one of the most suitable people for this responsibility. If something unexpected happens, I trust that you’ll be able to handle it."

He then added, "More importantly, knowing that Axel City is in safe hands will allow the rest of us to concentrate on the war without constantly worrying about what might be happening behind us."

Hearing Boris’s explanation, Wahid could no longer find any reason to object. Although he wanted to participate in the fighting, he understood that protecting Axel City was equally important. With so many powerful cultivators gathered at the battlefield, leaving the city vulnerable would be an unnecessary risk.

Furthermore, Boris was not asking him to return because he doubted his strength. On the contrary, he was entrusting Wahid with the responsibility precisely because he believed Wahid was capable of defending the city.

After thinking about it for a few seconds, Wahid finally nodded. "Understood, Your Majesty. I will return to Axel City and personally oversee its defences."

"Good." Boris replied with a satisfied smile.

"Leave the fighting here to us. Your responsibility is to make sure nothing happens to the city while we’re away."

Wahid nodded once more before respectfully excusing himself from the meeting. He then turned around, walked out of the headquarters tent, and began making preparations to return to Axel City.

Also present inside the headquarters tent were five of Aditya’s women: Lilith, Athena, Freya, Riya, and Sasha. All five had arrived at the Northern Grassy Plains to participate in the civil war, and each of them had already been assigned important responsibilities by Aditya.

Therefore, Boris saw no reason to repeat their instructions. Aditya had personally discussed their respective duties with them before the war, and all five knew exactly what was expected of them once the fighting began.

While Boris continued overseeing the preparations, Athena remained unusually quiet. Although she appeared to be paying attention to the discussions taking place around her, her thoughts were somewhere else entirely.

She was thinking about Aditya. By now, he should have already infiltrated the Imperial Royal Palace. However, Athena had no way of knowing whether he had successfully located his parents or if something unexpected had happened during the rescue mission.

Considering how heavily guarded the Imperial Royal Palace was, it was difficult for her not to worry about his safety. Just then, Laura’s voice suddenly sounded within her mind.

’There’s no need to worry so much. Aditya looked extremely confident before leaving for the Capital. I’m sure everything is going well for him right now.’

Athena remained silent for a moment.

Since Athena and Laura shared the same body, with Athena possessing the main soul and Laura being the other half that completed it, they could naturally sense each other’s emotions.

Therefore, Athena could clearly feel that Laura was just as worried about Aditya as she was.

"You know, I can sense exactly what you’re feeling right now." Athena replied through their mental connection. "You’re just as worried about Aditya as I am, yet you’re telling me not to worry about him."

Hearing this, Laura could only smile helplessly. She did not bother denying Athena’s words because there was no point in pretending otherwise when both of them could sense each other’s emotions.

In the end, Laura said nothing more, while Athena quietly returned her attention to the discussions taking place inside the tent.

Aditya had already discussed the main parts of his plan with Boris. The two of them had spent several hours studying maps, estimating the enemy’s strength, and deciding how their forces would move once the war began.

Boris was now making the final changes to the plan. He was checking the distance between every army, the time required for supplies to reach the front line, and the number of soldiers that each commander would control.

Among the women present in the meeting, Athena and Freya remained the most involved in the discussion.

Athena was the Goddess of Wisdom. She might not possess Freya’s direct experience in ruling an army, but her ability to study information and predict possible outcomes was unmatched. Every suggestion she made carried great weight.

She carefully examined the maps and pointed out the routes the enemy could use to launch surprise attacks. She also identified several rivers, mountain passes, forests, and narrow roads that could either slow down Aditya’s army or be used to trap the enemy.

Freya’s attention remained focused on the military side of the plan. She was not only the Goddess of War but also the ruler of a powerful Empire. She understood how large armies behaved on a real battlefield.

Freya had brought one hundred thousand trained soldiers from her Empire to support Aditya. These were not newly recruited troops. They were experienced soldiers who had trained together for years and understood how to follow orders without creating confusion.

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