Chapter 418 Follow-Up (Please Vote for Me)

The continent of Aslant in September was lively. First, the Holy See fleet was completely destroyed in the Sea of ​​Mist, and then there was news that Pope Pius VII had broken through to the Holy Domain.

Just look at how stubborn Hudson is, and you will know how much influence a strong man from the Sanctuary can have on the continent's structure.

It caused a sensation because it was the pope who broke through the holy realm. If it were another person, it would be a private conversation after dinner, which would not achieve the effect of sensationalizing the mainland.

The only ones who were really stimulated were a group of eighth-level powerhouses stuck outside the sanctuary gate.

In the past, everyone was at the peak of the eighth level, and even if there was a gap between them, it would not be too disparate.

But now in the blink of an eye, the guy from Pius VII actually broke through the sanctuary first and directly opened a level with everyone, which made many old antiques unhappy.

For a while, everyone was in retreat, looking for opportunities, and no one was idle anyway.

In addition to his unusual status, Pius VII's strength is also the focus of everyone's attention. In the eyes of many people, he has a three-piece set of artifacts in his hands.

The inherited artifact given by the Lord of the Dawn is completely consistent with the attributes of Pius VII, and the backlash when used is definitely the smallest among all artifacts.

At the eighth level, even the pope holding a three-piece set of artifacts can fight against the strong men in the sanctuary. Now that this threshold has been crossed, the power of the artifact to Pius VII will increase even more.

Pius VII, who also combines magic attacks, physical attacks, and comprehensive defense artifacts, is invincible in the eyes of many people.

The title of the strongest man in the mainland has now fallen to Pius VII. Hudson was so envious when he saw it.

What he envied was not the title of the strongest man, but Pius VII, who had lost two attack artifacts. The most powerful man was too wet.

Even if the Holy See has other artifacts, they were stolen from elsewhere, and their use will definitely not be as smooth as inheritance.

Pius VII, who has full defense attributes but insufficient attack power, is obviously not the strongest person in the mainland.

It's okay to bully those under the holy realm, but when you meet a strong person of the same level, you can only take advantage of it.

After all, although the artifact is easy to use, it also consumes a lot of money!

The released protective barrier also has a time limit. Assembling a dozen eighth-level experts to besiege him would make Pius VII run away.

Of course, it is limited to driving away. As long as a strong man at the holy level does not seek death, he will basically not die.

Invincibility is always relative.

However, the sacred crown in the hands of Pius VII still made Hudson drool with envy.

The number of exclusive defensive artifacts is really too rare. With the Divine Crown protecting the body, the personal safety factor will definitely be greatly improved.

Influenced by Pius VII's breakthrough into the sanctuary, a special meeting was held in the kingdom.

Different from previous meetings, except for the prime minister and the king, the others attending this meeting were all eighth-level powerhouses from various places.

As the kingdom's combat force, Hudson will naturally be indispensable.

…

"Pius VII's breakthrough to the Holy Realm proves that the door to the Holy Realm is once again open to mankind. In the next few years, strong people will emerge in large numbers on the mainland.

The purpose of inviting everyone here today is mainly to provide a platform for everyone to exchange cultivation experiences and exchange cultivation materials. I hope that everyone can break through the holy realm as soon as possible. "

Caesar IV said with anticipation.

The Holy Realm cannot be broken through just because it wants to, it seems to be a cycle of reincarnation. Every few hundred years on the mainland, a wave of strong men will break out, followed by hundreds of years of silence.

There are strong people everywhere who have caught up with the times, missed the opportunities of the times, and those who can make breakthroughs against the times are all talented people.

Looking at the entire Aslant continent, there are not many eighth-level strong men in the Alpha Kingdom, but these strong men have come out of the battlefield, and their combat effectiveness is slightly better.

But if you want to break through the holy realm, these alone are far from enough. Having rich combat experience and understanding the rules are two completely different fields.

There is no need to consider the treasures that assist in understanding the laws. They are all legendary things that can be encountered but not sought.

What the Kingdom can do is provide a platform for everyone to communicate in the hope that someone can take this crucial step.

In this regard, Hudson had no say. Although he has a holy mount, he is still a weakling.

Both dragons and bears rely on talent, and their breakthrough experiences have no reference significance for humans.

Communication means that everyone is responsible for speaking and Hudson is responsible for listening.

"Your Majesty, many of us have been stuck outside the sanctuary for many years, and now we are just about to take the final step.

But it is precisely this last step that has trapped countless heroes throughout the ages.

If it were before the destruction of the Holy See fleet, I would suggest friends from the dark system to plan the core of the Netherworld Ship. But now, I can only advise everyone to give up the idea of ​​looking for external help. "

Morrison said meaningfully.

Those who can step into this realm must either have outstanding talents or be crazy cultivators. Now the holy realm has become an obsession in the hearts of many people.

In order to break through the realm, they can do anything.

It is not easy for the kingdom to accumulate masters, and Morrison does not want to see everyone go to the foggy sea to die in order to seize the opportunity.

"Morrison, what you said is all nonsense. The three major fleets of the Holy See came out together, and there were eighty, if not one hundred, eighth-level masters accompanying them. In the end, they were all destroyed.

How many eighth-level experts are there who practice darkness in the kingdom? Why don't they give away their heads? "

Robert said angrily.

It seemed like he was complaining to Morrison, but in fact he was talking to the strong man in the crowd who practiced the dark system.

While speaking, Robert also deliberately glanced at the two undead grand magisters who were eager to try, which was full of warning.

After a slight hesitation, the two undead archmagisters finally did not speak to refute.

They are both among the top masters in the kingdom, but when it comes to personal connections, Robert, the dean, beats them in every aspect.

Even if dark powerhouses mobilize their connections together, it will be difficult to get everyone to take risks with them.

The Alpha Kingdom cannot afford to gamble, and neither can the forces behind a group of powerful men.

What's more, even if you get the core, it's not enough for everyone to share!

…

In the Royal Palace of Lutetia, Charles III, who also received the news of Pius VII's breakthrough, looked at everyone and said mockingly:

"The Holy See is at its wits end this time!

The expedition fleet was completely wiped out. I thought they would take revenge and use thunder to destroy the ghost ship huddled in the foggy sea.

They never expected that they would use the news that Pius VII had broken through the sanctuary to divert attention.

As the spokesperson of the Lord of the Dawn in the human world, half of the popes in the past have broken through the holy realm, and it is not surprising to add another one.

But I don’t believe that his breakthrough was such a coincidence.

I am afraid that the Holy See's successive plans failed and Pius VII's position as pope was unstable, so he had no choice but to announce it to the outside world. "

Breaking through the sanctuary is a good thing, but the later the news is announced, the better.

Now this stimulation has aroused the fighting spirit of all the eighth-level experts in the continent, which does not do much good to the Holy See.

It seems that a lot of reputation has been restored, but in the eyes of the real big forces, this has exposed the weak nature of the Holy See.

If you really have the confidence, then immediately start taking revenge and go back, showing the domineering power of the top forces.

Just three ghost ships, as long as the Holy See is willing to spend the money, they can definitely get them.

The outside world does not care about objective factors, let alone the risks involved. Everyone only sees that the Holy See is timid.

The strength of the Holy See will directly affect the foreign policies of various countries towards them.

"Your Majesty, after this continental war, the power of the alien race will surely decline further. Now that the Holy See is showing signs of decadence, this is actually the best opportunity for the kingdom to move forward.

Our next plan can be accelerated.

It is necessary for the frontline to speed up the destruction of the Orc Kingdom. If it takes too long, the situation in the Northern Continent will collapse first, which will be troublesome. "

Prime Minister Duke Bergson said murderously.

As the first kingdom on the mainland, the military strength of the Frankish Kingdom is no worse than some empires in human history.

In order to become an empire, in addition to the opposition of various countries, the most important thing is the obstruction of the Holy See.

The empires of the past all had one common characteristic—the divine right of imperial power.

Before the Holy See develops and grows, the power of the empire is still guaranteed, and the most noble person on the continent is the emperor.

But as the Holy See grew and grew, theocracy slowly took over the dominant position in the struggle, and the Pope gradually became the boss on the continent.

In addition to internal disputes over interests, the subsequent collapse of the empire was also an important factor contributed by the Holy See.

After finally overthrowing the rule of the Holy See, the Frankish Kingdom was naturally unwilling to bow to the Holy See for the sake of the name of an empire.

As the kingdom continued to grow stronger, the voice of establishing a new Holy See became louder and louder in the Frankish Kingdom.

If you don’t have a legal basis, then you have to find a way to create it yourself. If the Holy See is disobedient, then find an obedient Holy See to manage the faith.

"Prime Minister, once we destroy the Orc Kingdom, the elves will definitely join the war immediately.

The collapse of the situation in the northern continent is almost a foregone conclusion. The Alpha Kingdom is likely to adopt a strategic contraction and allow the elven army to move south.

At present, the war situation in various countries on the mainland is still in a stalemate, and the advantages of the human race have not been brought into play. If the elven army joins the war, the situation in the central continent is likely to be reversed.

By the time……"

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marquis Jesus, said worriedly.

Not all human nations are as powerful as the Frankish Kingdom; nor are all foreign nations like the Orc Kingdom, which is on the verge of being suppressed by them.

The current stalemate on the battlefield is mainly due to the fact that the Frankish Kingdom is training its troops with orcs and has not launched an attack with all its strength.

Once he becomes ruthless, it will be easy to destroy the orc kingdom.

After all, they initiated this war when they were ready.

“The situation on the mainland does need to be considered.

Among the major powers in the mainland, the Alpha Kingdom is under the greatest pressure. If the elven army wants to move south, they will not be able to stop it.

However, the strength of the three major kingdoms in the Central Continent is not weak. They still have some remaining strength, probably to prevent the elven army from moving south.

Even if they can't defeat the elven army, they can still hold off the enemy, and the situation will not worsen in a short period of time.

When we secure the fruits of victory, we can send troops to support them. It will be completely late in time. "

Prime Minister Duke Bergson said lightly.

It can be seen that he does not care about the life and death of the central countries, and even plans to take the opportunity to consume the three countries.

Politics is such a reality. After annexing the Orc Kingdom, Frank's national power will further increase and its advantages over other countries will become more and more obvious.

As the boss, suppressing potential threats in advance can only be considered a routine operation.

"The prime minister is right, the situation has changed. Some of the kingdom's past foreign policies also need to adapt to the times.

Pass the order and ask all ministries to strengthen their offensive efforts. I hope to defeat the Orc Kingdom within three months and completely destroy them within a year! "

Charles III said domineeringly.

…

In the Hessian Kingdom, Alexander V was shocked when he first heard that Pius VII had broken through the sanctuary.

Don't panic. As one of the participants who made trouble for the Holy See fleet, if the Holy See investigates deeply, they will be able to find them out sooner or later.

Directly confronting the Holy See, Alexander V was still a little worried. But this anxiety quickly disappeared.

"The Holy See actually gave up?

Pius VII has at least three artifacts in his hands, all of which happen to be able to restrain ghost ships.

He actually chose to give up such a good opportunity to establish his authority. There must be other reasons behind it. "

Alexander V said with a frown.

If the same thing falls into different eyes, the problems seen will naturally be different.

Among the monarchs of his generation, Alexander V was not a pushy person. He usually thinks twice before acting when encountering problems, a typical representative of the moderate monarch.

Even though he was also dissatisfied with the Holy See, Alexander V never directly confronted the Holy See. Even if he was wronged, he would only secretly seek revenge.

For example, when they attacked the survivors of the Holy See fleet this time, they were acting under the guise of pirates, leaving enough buffer space.

"Your Majesty, the Pope did not take the opportunity of breaking through the Holy Domain to launch a counterattack. Perhaps it is not the ghost ship that he is afraid of, but the Alpha Kingdom.

After suffering a loss once, if they take action again, they will definitely not be able to take the fleet with them.

Without the protection of a large army, just a group of masters went to the waters of the Alpha Kingdom to cause trouble. The danger inside was definitely not small.

If the Alphas suddenly turned against them, it would be difficult for them to leave.

Putting aside other factors, the three inherited artifacts in the hands of Shelter VII alone are worthy of Alpha's secret plot.

Even if their family can't eat, they can still find help from the Franks, who are also incompatible with the Holy See. There are so many forces who care about the inherited artifacts that they don't have to worry about having allies.

It would be easy for Pius VII to go out with these artifacts, but it would be difficult to bring them back. "

Duke Milton analyzed with a smile.

Let alone Alpha and Frank, two countries that are hostile to the Holy See, even a big country with good relations with the Holy See will most likely be tempted.

This is the legal system of the Holy See, and whoever gets it has the initiative.

Whether it is through negotiating with the Holy See to gain more rights or directly establishing a new branch, this is the most important bargaining chip.

"It's true as the prime minister said. If Pius VII dares to wander around with a divine weapon, I won't be able to help but take action.

Forget it, such a good thing is impossible to happen.

Pius VII is not stupid. Even if he comes out with a divine weapon, he will go out openly and openly.

We can't care about the artifact, so let's consider how much benefit we can get from the destruction of the Holy See fleet! "

Alexander V shook his head and said.

Disappointment is fake, relief is the truth. If the Holy See's inherited artifact were delivered under his nose, that would be the real problem.

As a mid-continent country, the Kingdom of Hesse inevitably became the site of four wars. Other countries took the artifact and it was a treasure, but they took the artifact and it turned out to be a disaster.

When it comes to the artifacts of the legal system, it is not just whoever grabs the legal system will follow. The source of the artifact must also be proven to be legal.

You can make up any reason for obtaining the artifact, but you can't steal it openly. Once something is put out in the open, there is no way to do it.

"Your Majesty, with the destruction of the Holy See fleet, their international influence has plummeted, which is a big benefit to the development of the kingdom's overseas trade.

However, these are long-term benefits. In the short term, the benefits we can obtain are mainly the tithe payment ratio, which can be further reduced.

Exactly how much it can be reduced still needs to be negotiated with the Holy See. If the Kingdom is resolute, they will choose to compromise no matter how much reduction we propose. "

Count Backstrom said enthusiastically.

Before the war broke out, the finances of the Kingdom of Hesse had been very good. As long as there is no major natural disaster, the national treasury will have a surplus.

Once the war broke out, the situation changed drastically. Years of financial and tax accumulation are nothing compared to the gold-eating beast of war.

Although there is currently no high debt, the fiscal deficit of the Kingdom of Hesse has indeed appeared, and it is still expanding rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye.

If there is an opportunity to cut the flesh of the Holy See and make up for its own financial shortcomings, the Ministry of Finance will certainly work hard to fight for it.

“The countries now demanding a reduction in tithes should not be one or two families, and there is no need for the Kingdom to rush to take the lead.

First, this year's tithes were withheld on the grounds of war necessity. After the war is over, the results of the negotiations between the Holy See and all parties will probably come out.

When the time comes, we will refer to the negotiation results of various countries and then use the results to negotiate with the Holy See. I think their ability to accept it should be improved a lot. "

Alexander V said calmly.

There is no mention of how to deal with the "tithes" withheld during the war, which is clearly a plan to default on the debt.

The negotiations that resumed after the war seemed to be full of sincerity, but in fact they were waiting for an excuse to reduce the "tithe".

In war, there will definitely be some damage. Exaggerating losses is the best argument for cutting taxes.

Anyway, this kind of war with alien races can be labeled as fighting for the living space of the human race, and the situation is full in an instant.

If the Holy See continues to decline during the war, the Kingdom of Hesse will be able to gain greater initiative in future negotiations.

Even if they follow the example of the Alpha Kingdom and the Frankish King and pay a symbolic payment of one gold coin every year, it is not impossible.

To be precise, neither country even cashed in a single gold coin. It wasn't that they were unwilling to give the last gold coin, but that the Holy See felt insulted and refused to accept it.

As for the "tithe" that disappeared, it was naturally spent by the local church under clever names. Today we are repairing the church, tomorrow we are giving charity, and the day after tomorrow we are launching a charity...

It's just an account, and the Holy See doesn't have the ability to verify it anyway. These face-saving projects are essentially carried out by the ruling class to maintain their own legal system.

…